When Lightning Strikes
by SilverKitsune2017
Summary: The Lists. The government's way of tracking those who carry magic genes in Konoha. White, Green, Blue. Ordinary lists for everyday magic-users. When Sasuke's firefighting heroics get out of hand, he finds out that he's on the Gold List, a step away from Red. Red means dangerous and subject to surveillance or elimination, but Gold means recruitment. Which might be just as dangerous.
1. Chapter 1

When Lightning Strikes

**celestia193's Author's Note:** Happy Holidays everyone! In celebration of the holidays (and because we had this kicking around in our writing files) we bring you...a smashing together of science fiction and fantasy with a magitek future! Enjoy the Yuletide season with some of our favourite sexy Uchiha boys. ;)

**Disclaimer:** We don't own Naruto or make any profit off of our fanfics.

Chapter 1

Home. He was finally home. That fire had been almost mythological in proportions. The biggest Konoha had seen in at least a century.

"Well, at least I'm home now. Itachi is probably going half insane." Sasuke snorts as he open the mailbox. It didn't matter how old he got or how many fires he put out, his older brother fretted even worse than their mother. Apparently, the fact that fire was Sasuke's natural affinity wasn't enough to make his older brother's worries. There were days when Sasuke almost wished his magic was more ice based if only to force Itachi to chill. Damn it. Sasuke knew what he was doing.

"That's weird." Sasuke blinks, pulling out a letter stuffed so full it bordered on being preposterous. It was a miracle the damn thing hadn't been ripped apart. Shrugging, he heads inside as he rips the envelope open anyway. "Itachi, I'm home. Don't worry. I'm still fireproof."

"Yes, as you tell me every time that you come home from one of your disaster missions." Itachi appears in the doorway to the kitchen with a frown on his face and a sigh on his lips. "And what will happen when one of these days you find a fire that even your powers can't extinguish?" Itachi despaired for his little brother whenever Sasuke left the house on one of those calls he would get, sometimes in the middle of the night. How many times had Itachi woken up, only to find his little brother packing an emergency bag so that he could go on one of his trips?

"Itachi, even if I couldn't handle the entire blaze...I never go alone. We could manage until more emergency personnel arrived." He closes the distance between them and flicks Itachi's forehead. "So stop worrying so much. You'll go gray before Father at this rate."

Itachi frowns at the achingly familiar childhood gesture and catches his brother's wrist. "Yes…but how long until you're noticed? Sasuke…I told you time and time again, if you use your powers so openly and to that degree, you'll inevitably be noticed by all of the wrong people, instead of the ones who are grateful to have you."

"I'm always covered by my gear. I don't even wear a nametag and if they come...I doubt they're stronger than a wildfire." He sighs and hugs Itachi. The public's perception of their kind was mixed to say the least. Mercifully, it was only a small minority of prejudiced cowards they had to worry about. "Most people don't care to begin with. The vast majority of magic users don't have enough power to worry over and the ones that do, well everyone knows about the database. Sure, there are some freakshows out there, but I'm a big boy. If they wanna pick a fight, it will be their asses on the ground. Not mine."

"Sasuke…" Itachi Brushes back a few locks of his little brother's spiky raven hair. "I just don't want to see you get into trouble with the people that you can't just put on the ground, then accuse of being bigots and harassing you." If it were only those sorts of people then Itachi wouldn't protest so much. "You're on the news, you know. Not your face or your voice, but your actions. People know that you exist, if not who you are. And the last thing I want is for you to be found out and taken away to serve higher powers against your will."

Maybe, if Sasuke was lucky, they might try to recruit him into a public position, where Sasuke's powers could be seen and used for good things. But Itachi feared that with Sasuke's temper and raw power, that they might put him to work in secret places on darker agendas. If only he could have kept Sasuke's name out of that damned database…then maybe he wouldn't be so afraid of losing his little brother.

"Itachi, what's the alternative? To sit around on my ass and let the fires blaze longer? To let people die because MAYBE someone MIGHT do something to me?" Sasuke rolls his eyes at the thought. He wouldn't do it. It was his magic damn it and he'd use it as he saw fit. He finishes ripping apart the envelope a bit more viciously than was absolutely necessarily only to blink as he reads the contents. "Oh."

"Sasuke, what…?" Itachi's gaze falls to the seal on the envelope and his heart sinks into his stomach. "…They've found you." That seal was everything that Itachi had tried to warn Sasuke about for years now. The last time he'd seen a seal like that…his best friend in all of the world had disappeared from three years, only to resurface doing some sort of…secret security work that he couldn't talk about. That government seal was used, to Itachi's knowledge, only in cases of correspondence with their kind, those with the magic gene in their blood. And only the ones who were too dangerous to roam free.

"Itachi, relax. Our family is well known for producing powerful magic users." Sasuke tries to force himself to focus on the words of the page, but no matter how many times he read them.. the information didn't stick. Not when his brother was staring at him like a ghost. "They were going to make an offer to me sooner or later because my last name is Uchiha."

"Then are you going to try to convince them that putting out fires is all that your powers can do?" Itachi had done something of the sort. He hid his powers to the best of his abilities, pretended that his abilities were solely in the mind, that he was best suited for academics. He'd kept up that facade his entire life, even with his family. Their family was also known for producing geniuses, and some of his talents he'd managed to pass off as natural skill and intelligence. But Sasuke…his powers were loud and overt. And if they knew about the others… "Or…what have they offered you?"

"Whoever wrote it essentially says that I've been spotted. Right now I'm on the gold list for potential recruits." Something that Sasuke knew could end really well for him if he played his cards right. It meant he was a top priority for recruitment and he'd likely get at least some choice of which position he'd like. Perhaps even just get to decide what he wanted point blank. "But I could end up on the red list if I'm not careful. So either tone down the heroics to fly under the radar or meet him at the Eternity Nightclub to talk about my future. It's got an official insignia." No one would dare forge THAT. Whoever wrote this was working for the government. Pure and simple.

It was exactly what Itachi had dreaded would happen. Being on the gold list could be a huge benefit or a fall from grace. Sasuke's powers had been spotted and his little brother had been acknowledged for the strength of those powers and the dominance of his magical genes. But if he wasn't careful…he could end up on their danger list. The one that usually ended with imprisonment or just…disappearing entirely. Like his friend had…for a time. "You're going to meet with the sender, aren't you?"

"I kinda have to. It says 'THEY'VE' had their eyes on me for awhile. Even if I didn't use my powers at all, there's a chance someone else might approach me later." He looks at Itachi almost apologetically. Sasuke understood his brother's fears. He wasn't blind to the dangers. He just refused to spend the rest of his life hiding. "Right now, I'm on someone's gold list and the only thing they know about me is I put out wildfires. They have no reason to be mad at me. If anything, I've been doing them a favor. It's better to go while they think of me as a 'good boy.'"

Itachi's heart thumps heavily in his chest, filled with fear for his younger brother. "…If you go, make sure to keep me on your speed dial. If anything goes wrong, call me. If you text, I'll know that things are fine. If you call, I'll be there in a heartbeat." And he had no qualms about using his powers to destroy the mind of anyone who tried to hurt his little brother.

Sasuke nods, hugging his brother once more. "Got it. Text, good. Call, emergency. It's going to be alright, Itachi. There are a lot of our kind who actually enjoy working for the government. Maybe they'll just have me put out fires, but be a public face for them."

"I hope that you're right, Sasuke…that all they want is to use your pretty face." Itachi wraps his arms tightly around Sasuke, but still it felt like his little brother was going to disappear, and he would never see Sasuke again. "…Let's have dinner before you go. I started the curry simmering before I left for the university and I've been putting the rest together after I finished teaching for the day."

"I do not have a pretty face, but that's probably all it is. They likely just want to make sure I'm not going to start fires and want credit for the ones I put out. Put my face on recruitment posters." He sighs, tightening the embrace. Sasuke had only seen Itachi this way once and that was when Shisui went away. "Dinner sounds great. No one cooks like you and Mother."

Itachi truly hoped that was all it was. If he could take this bullet for his brother, he would do it in a heartbeat. "I'm glad you think so. And I made sure to give it a hint of spice just the way you like it."

* * *

Eternity, a nightclub smack in the middle of downtown, surrounded but activity at all hours of the day and night, and famed as a hotspot for food and drinks and music. The outside display's elegant purple theme stops at the doors, shifting into a sleek, silvery steel interior accented all over with blue and pops of gold. It was everything that the modern nightclub should be in the twenty-third century.

Within the club, a long, oval bar stands in the center, with stools dotting the counter and booths lining the walls. Beyond it, the dance floor sings with live music and a dazzling light display. Citrus liqueur hangs in the air in five flavors, suffusing the club with a tantalizing sweet and sour scent.

Sasuke had never been much of a nightclub person, but even by his standards this place was enchanting. There was something almost otherworldly about the way Eternity could spellbind anyone's senses. It was a feast for the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and well...yes, definitely for the hands if you were trying to find a dancing partner. It was also too damn crowded for his tastes. "How the hell am I even supposed to find him?"

The letter had included a date and time, even a map to the nightclub, but no name, no description. It had been left so incredibly vague that any one of the patrons could be his contact. On purpose, no doubt.

Four bartenders circle the bar, waiting on the drinking needs of the nearly two hundred patrons already in the club that evening. But not one of them looked like a government recruiter. Not that it would make sense for them to look like one in a place like this.

Sasuke sighs at that knowledge as moves to the bar. Finding an empty stool, he sits down. If the recruiter was here...Sasuke couldn't think of a more likely place for him to look. He'd find him. Right? There was no way the recruiter would go through all that trouble just to cave that easily.

A pretty bartender with bright mint-green hair smiles at Sasuke as he sits in front of her. "What can I get for ya? We've got fifty-two beers on tap, every hard liquor you can think of, and a few surprises on the menu for the brave."

"A shot of vodka. Thanks." Sasuke offers her a polite smile. He didn't want to be a jerk, but the last thing he needed was for the bartender to think he was flirting. A drink did sound good, though. His alcohol tolerance was high enough even a shot of the hard stuff wouldn't cloud his judgment. It might calm his nerves, though.

"Coming right up." She pulls out a crystal clear shot glass from under the bar and turns to grab a bottle from the top shelf.

"Make that two shots of vodka and your special Sunset cooler, Fu. On me." The once vacant seat to Sasuke's left finds itself full of six feet of tall, dark, and handsome when a man with dark, curly black hair and pale moon-like skin seats himself cheerfully next to his innocent victim.

Sasuke glances at the man beside him. This time there was no need to force a polite smile. Sure, the circumstances were far from ideal, but that was a gorgeous man. One who had just bought him a drink and any other night, well he might try his luck. Unfortunately, he was still waiting for the recruiter. "Thanks, but I'm waiting for someone."

"Aren't we all…" He flashes a smile at the bartender and rests his chin on his hand. "I'm here to meet someone as well, someone I haven't seen in a long time."

Fu slides them a pair of shots across the bar, along with a gold, orange, and red drink in a tall glass. She winks slyly at the mysterious man. "It's nice to see you Raven. Are you here to have some fun tonight?"

"Maybe, but first I have business to attend to." Raven picks up both shots and the cooler and moves to stand. He catches Sasuke's eyes and nods towards one of the booths. "Come on, let's go have a chat, Sasuke. It's been a while since I last had the chance to talk to my cute little cousin."

He blinks as the pieces clicked into place. It couldn't be. It'd been years, but Sasuke could remember the cousin who hung around Itachi. One with a warm smile...just like that. "Shisui?"

It was just his luck. Oh no. The hot guy that bought him a drink couldn't just be a handsome stranger trying to flirt. It was his cousin. Well, his third cousin four times removed cousin or was it the other way around? Sasuke always got those mixed up. Never mind. It didn't matter. It couldn't be a coincidence. "Yeah. It's been awhile...didn't expect you to be a recruiter." Even with the music muffing conversation, Sasuke more mouths the words than anything as he follows Shisui to a booth tucked away into the corner of the club. Whatever the outcome of their conversation, he sure as hell didn't want random clubbers to overhear it.

Shisui smiles wryly and sets their drinks down on the table within the booth, next to a plate of breaded fish, a pan of tomato-laden pizza, and a sharing sized bowl of pasta. "And I didn't expect you to end up going so public with your magic. You're lucky that I was keeping an eye on you long before anyone else was." He seats himself on one bench and motions for Sasuke to take the other as he flicks a finger and closes a curtain across the booth's entrance. "There, now we'll actually have some privacy and won't be overheard."

"If I didn't know what your job was now and if you weren't my cousin, I'd accuse you of trying to seduce me between the drinks and the full course meal." Sasuke shakes his head, sarcasm being his primary coping mechanism of choice. "Anyway, I haven't broken any laws. Not even close. They can't seriously be upset that I put out wildfires. It's my side job. I get paid to do it. Everything about it is legit."

"And I know that. But that's because I'm your cousin, and I know you better than anyone else keeping an eye on you." Shisui couldn't say the same for others, though. "But what stops someone with the ability to absorb fire from setting fires that devastate entire cities? You've been seen putting out wildfires spanning ten square miles, Sasuke. That…frightens some people."

"They could use that logic on anyone or anything powerful. I guess the fact I've been putting them out somehow doesn't prove anything?" Sasuke shakes his head. They both knew the answer to that. It was up to him to make himself sound as unthreatening as possible. "I'm twenty-four years old. If I was going to destroy a city, wouldn't I have already done it?"

"Maybe, maybe not. For all most people know, you could have already set places on fire and no one would have figured it out." Shisui was well aware of the suspicions that floated around about his cousin. "I don't want to scare you Sasuke, but I'm saying this for your own good. With your powers…all it takes is for someone who hates our kind to set a fire and point the finger at you. And then you end up on the red list unless you can prove that someone else set the fire."

Sasuke sighs. Shisui wasn't the enemy and more importantly, he wasn't a liar. "What's the best case scenario for me?"

Shisui stares at Sasuke for a good, hard moment, then nods and pushes the pizza towards Sasuke, taking a piece for himself along with a piece of the breaded fish. He stacks the fish on top of the pizza and takes a bite, giving himself time to decide precisely which approach to take. "If you want to live a normal life, then the best case scenario would be toning down the heroics so that I can get your story out of the news. I respect what you're doing, I do, and I understand why you do it. You've used your powers to save a lot of lives. Being in the news is what's drawing the attention to you. I can direct attention away again, but that won't do a thing if you bring it back on yourself. Realistically…do you think that you could stop being a hero?"

It was beyond twisted. The government was trying to 'protect' people by having Sasuke not use his gift to save lives. "You mean live with the knowledge that someone is burning to death and I let it happen? It'd be...hard. Even if I did it, we both know that wouldn't actually be enough." Sasuke looks his cousin up and down, committing every detail to memory. His body language was composed, but nervous. Shisui was sincere. He'd try, but Sasuke knew the end result would be the same. "Even if I was a 'good boy,' another recruiter would find me. You came to see me personally because you care. They sent you because they know we're related. This is the carrot approach, but I'm not oblivious. Sooner or later, they'll try the stick if I say no. This isn't like Itachi. His powers are academic in nature. Mine...aren't."

"Actually, I know the full extent of Itachi's powers, and they would be quite useful if my superiors knew about them. But Itachi said no and I respect that. Not everyone can be as controlled and as lucky as he is to have less…visible talents." Shisui had never betrayed his friend's confidence and he'd long since vowed that he never would. "But you're right, this is the carrot approach. I got the stick, and I would rather spare you that if I can. I actually came here without notifying my superiors. Call it striking preemptively. I wanted to get to you before anyone else could."

Sasuke searches his face for signs of lies. It was one thing for them to send his cousin to recruit him. It was another for Shisui to do so of his own free will. That changed things drastically. "Itachi is a brilliant professor who is blessed with magical genius. That's it." Still, Shisui or not...he'd make sure Itachi's cover story wasn't 'blown' even if Shisui knew the truth. "It worked, though. You got here first. So, what options can you give me that won't get you into trouble? You stuck your neck out for me. I don't want to burn a helping hand."

Shisui laughs softly. Sasuke really was exactly what he'd hoped for. "Alright, then best case scenario for recruitment. I got here first, which means I can recruit you directly into my division. My colleagues and I…we specialize in magitek surveillance and crime detection. We monitor those people who are on the gold and red lists, as well as those who could end up there the moment they do anything even remotely impressive. Not everyone uses their powers the way you do, Sasuke. And it's my job to make sure that the ones using their powers to hurt people are brought in or…neutralized, if need be."

"Well, it makes sense they'd have a division like that. I don't see what that has to do with me. Fire magic doesn't really have anything to do with surveillance or crime detection." He shoots Shisui a genuinely confused look. Wouldn't he be placed in another division? Hell, Sasuke wasn't even sure what division powers like his would fall under.

"True, your powers would probably be better suited for sending to places where an 'accidental' burning of a building might conveniently take out rivals and other targets of interest or cause a lot of collateral damage to their allies and assets." But Shisui didn't want to put his little cousin in that sort of position ever… "That's where I started when they caught me, in the tactical sabotage unit. I could use my mind to hack into security systems and rig up any sort of structural collapse I needed to. A building with an internal stabilizing core suddenly wouldn't be so stable anymore. Then they discovered the full range of my technokinetic abilities and they transferred me to the detection division. I've been there ever since, and now I run it."

Sasuke frowns. He honestly wouldn't have been able to recall what Shisui's magic was like if he tried, but the image he painted was a vivid one. It was no wonder why his cousin had been recruited so young.

He had to figure out what he was going to do. Shisui was offering him a hand, but Sasuke didn't really know where it would lead him. What was the alternative, though? Look over his shoulder for the rest of his life or be recruited what into amounted to an assassination unit? "In other words, you want to give me a slot on your team to keep me out of the other divisions. As long as I'm working for the government and they know I'm being a good boy, they'll humor you. Probably assume you're doing it because I'm your cousin and you have a soft spot for me." Which was...probably exactly what was going on actually.

"Right end goal, wrong motivation. Because I have to tell them the opposite, in fact. Selling it to them as me having a soft spot for you will make them more inclined to reassign you somewhere else. No, you have skills beyond your fire that I'm interested in. You're an Uchiha, Sasuke. Now, think of my division as…the secret magical police. We use some of the same techniques as detectives in order to root out magical crime. Then we go in and either detain or eliminate the target, depending on how dangerous they are. I know that you've been tinkering with lightning magic lately. Imagine how convenient it would be if we could have someone sneak in during a distraction and use lightning as a stun grenade. We could complete a mission without a single casualty, maybe even without a single injury."

It wasn't what he was expecting. "So, I'd basically be a magical cop?" Sasuke tilts his head as he considers it. Definitely not something he would have thought of doing unprompted, but realistically it was his best chance. "Say I took the job, no disappearing? I'd still be able to see my family?"

"Yes, you could come visit them." Though Shisui could see why Sasuke was concerned. "I…know that I disappeared for a while. Before my transfer, I was being moved around a lot for my work. When they finally allowed me contact again, when they felt they could actually trust me…it had been four years since they took me. I reconnected with Itachi first and let him know…vaguely what I was doing. But I couldn't risk telling him everything that had happened. And he'd feel guilty if I told him exactly what got me caught and arrested in the first place."

"I'm not going to ask. That's between you and him." There were some rabbit holes that Sasuke knew better than to jump down. "Wait. What do you mean visit them? I'd be moving?"

Shisui nods slowly. "Our unit gets deployed all across the Konoha, but we have a central office that serves as our headquarters where I do most of my work and where all but our sleeper agents live. If you accept the offer, I'd…prefer it if you moved in with me. That way I could 'keep an eye' on you and make sure that no one else is. Being that close to you also means that if anyone did try to bring any sort of accusations against you, I could vouch for your good behavior. It's…not ideal, I know, and I know that you wouldn't do anything to break faith with me, but I'm not the one of the ones that need convincing."

Shisui was just full of surprises. Now, he was asking Sasuke to move in with him. "I see the logic in it. If you don't mind, yeah...sure. It'd probably help Itachi feel better about everything too. Knowing I was with you." He bites his lower lip as a thought occurs to him. Damn it. He'd screwed up. Sasuke should have denied the lightning magic thing. "...How'd you know about the lightning magic?"

"Because I arrived here three weeks ago and I've been keeping an eye on you, just in case." Shisui holds out his hand and opens his palm. Above it, a blue, holographic orb appears and plays a recording of Sasuke moving a tiny ball of lightning between his fingertips in the living room of the house he and Itachi shared. "Don't worry, I always made sure to turn the surveillance off whenever the bathroom or changing was involved." Except maybe the first time, which was entirely by accident.

"Honestly, I would have felt less exposed if you had caught me in the shower than practicing magic." Sasuke had never been shy. He didn't run around naked or 'flaunt it' as Suigetsu might say, but he didn't bat an eyelash at nudity. Magic on the other hand was highly personal. Private. Sacred and he felt like an idiot for having been caught without realizing it. "I appreciate the sentiment, though. So...what happens next?"

"Well, what happens next is up to you. If you take my offer, I can arrange travel for us by the end of the week." If Sasuke didn't…then Shisui would still do his best to keep Sasuke off the red list and try to get Sasuke off the gold list as well. Still, he finds the strength to smirk slyly. "And if you come with me, then I promise I'll try not to catch sight of your gorgeous ass in the shower again."

"You might have saved my life. It doesn't bother me that you saw me in the shower. I'm not some blushing coed." Mercifully, Sasuke had never been an easy blusher, but his heart was beating faster than it should have at the comment.

His mind suddenly at war. One half going 'cousin' over and over and the other going it didn't REALLY count because there were a lot of branches separating them on the family tree. "Anyway, I'll take the offer. I'll need time to pack and tell Itachi. What about in the meantime though...what if someone else spots me?"

"If they manage to approach you, tell them that you're reporting in to the Raven's Nest. Though I wouldn't worry too much about that. I would see them coming ten miles away if anyone I work with was getting close to finding you." That much, Shisui could guarantee. "But it's too bad that Itachi never taught you teleportation. That's a good way of getting out of sticky spots without hurting the wrong people."

He knew in theory if you had the right genes, you could expand your magic significantly. Sasuke had just never experimented that much. Fire had always fascinated him and lightning was a new marvel. "Maybe you can teach me then. If I'm going to be a cop, it sounds like a handy skill then."

Shisui smirks as he raises his shot of vodka and pushes the food towards Sasuke. "There's a lot I plan on teaching you, Sasuke."


	2. Chapter 2

When Lightning Strikes

**Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 2

A couple of hours, six shots, and three dances later, Sasuke slips quietly back into the house he shared with Itachi. The lights were so dim, that he was sure his brother was asleep. It was probably just as well. He'd explain everything in the morning.

"Sasuke?" Itachi's voice drifts towards the door from the living room, followed by his face appearing around the corner. "You're home." He'd been waiting, and hoping desperately that it wasn't a trap. Hoping that his brother would actually come home.

"Yeah. It's alright, Itachi." He smiles at his brother, hoping that he didn't look like he'd drank multiple shots of vodka and Shisui's colorful recommendations. Sasuke still wasn't sure what any of them were, but they were tasty. Even now, he still felt warm...and relaxed. "The recruiter was Shisui."

"…Shisui…?" Itachi's brow furrows. It couldn't be, that was…impossible. "You…don't mean OUR Shisui, our cousin…do you?"

"Yes, OUR cousin. I didn't realize who he was at first because he saw next to me and bought me a drink. I mean he bought me a lot of drinks actually, there was dancing, and he kinda asked me to move in with him. He also offered me a job. I'm basically going to be a magical cop and I'm not even angry that he apparently spied on me in the shower. It was an accident." Sasuke nods, the memory still playing in his mind in crystal clear detail. Damn. Their cousin was gorgeous.

Sasuke was…definitely drunk. "Right…" Itachi strides forward and puts an arm around his brother's waist to guide him back towards Sasuke's bedroom. "Shisui…bought you drinks and danced with you." That, Itachi didn't doubt. Shisui always had been a flirt, even buying drinks for Itachi when he was barely of age, just to see him turn into a lush. The job offer and spying on Sasuke in the shower on the other hand… "You said that he…offered you a job in law enforcement?"

"Yes, in his division. He's going to teach me how to teleport." Sasuke pats Itachi on the back, hoping he wasn't about to get a lecture. "He said he'll teach me lots of things. It's going to be alright. I can still see all of you. It's better than looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life."

Right…Sasuke has been offered a job as a magic cop by their cousin who had disappeared a decade ago and hadn't come to visit, but contacted Itachi sporadically with the stupidest and funniest things, and…he was going to teach Sasuke a lot of things, including how to teleport. "I see, of course." He carries his brother into his bedroom and deposits Sasuke very carefully on the bed. Itachi then hands Sasuke the mug of water that he'd been oh so careful not to spill. "Here, Sasuke, drink this."

He takes the water and starts sipping it. "Thanks. So he's giving me a week to get everything ready. That way I can tell you and you won't have to worry. He's a really good dancer too."

A week…Shisui, the cousin and best friend that Itachi hadn't seen in years, was taking his little brother away in a week. Why else would Sasuke have said that? Itachi could only hope that it was just the drunkenness…and that Sasuke wasn't going to disappear as well. "Everything is alright, Sasuke. You're home now." He slips off Sasuke's shoes and pulls back the blankets to tuck his little brother into bed. "Finish your water and then you can go to sleep. I'll make sure to have a hangover cure and good breakfast for you ready in the morning. Alright?"

"Alright, but you don't have to worry. I remember. Text for good. Call for emergencies." He shoots Itachi a smile as he snuggles into his pillow.

"That's right." It was good that Sasuke remembered, but Itachi had been without word for hours, and that had shaken him. He understood why that was now, but it didn't make the aching worry go away. He takes the mug clasped in Sasuke's sleepy grip and places it on the nightstand. Itachi brushes back Sasuke's bangs and kisses his forehead. "Sleep well, Sasuke."

His smile deepens as he closes his eyes. "Yeah. See you in the morning." Sasuke stretches out on the bed before burrowing into his blankets and falling fast asleep.

* * *

Itachi stirs a pan of soft, melty eggs and cheese with a spatula in one hand and turns over a pan full of sausages with his other hand. All night long, Sasuke's words had played over and over in his head. A week. Magical cop. Shisui.

What was their cousin doing working for the government as some sort of magical law enforcement agent? And why would he be here to recruit Sasuke of all people for that sort of group? And why in the world had he seen fit to get Itachi's little brother DRUNK of all things?

The moment that he hears footsteps approaching the sunlit kitchen, Itachi sighs softly. "I hope that you at least washed out your mouth, Sasuke." He knew how bad it could be waking up without having brushed your teeth after a night out with Shisui. Like something furry had crawled into your mouth and died there.

"Yes, I washed my mouth out." Sasuke watches Itachi cook. The scent of breakfast was already taunting him. Suddenly, he felt like he hadn't eaten for a week. "Looks good. Sorry for last night. I know it was a lot to take in at once, but this way I still get to see all of you."

Ah…last night…how Itachi wished that he could just wipe that night from his memories. "To be honest, Sasuke, you weren't making very much sense last night." He points at a glass on the counter filled to the brim with a green juice that Itachi had put together himself. "Drink that, and once I have breakfast plated, I want to hear about what really happened last night. Without the drunken rambling."

Damn. He'd been drunken rambling? "Alright. Alright." He drinks the green juice and watches Itachi prepare their breakfast while trying to figure out how to explain the whirlwind that had happened last night.

Itachi plates the sausages and eggs, then adds a whole sliced peach to each meal. Once he tops the eggs with hash browns and toast, he brings the two plates to the counter and sets one in front of Sasuke, one in front of himself, and takes a seat on a cushioned stool. "Now, start by telling me exactly how you ran into Shisui at that nightclub. And are you absolutely sure it was our cousin?"

He takes a bite of his breakfast, swallowing quickly before answering. "I went to Eternity like the letter said to, but realized I didn't know what the recruiter looked like. So, I waited at the bar. That's when a man paid for my vodka. I thought he was hitting on me at first." Sasuke takes a sip of his drink, hoping he wasn't blushing. Talking about guys to Itachi always resulted in a major interrogation. "Yes, he's Shisui. He said so, had the same smile, looked like him, mentioned you, and is Shisui telekinetic because this man is?"

That damn smile…that sly, mischievous, earnest smile that always drove Itachi insane, because it meant that trouble was coming. Trouble for him, amusement for Shisui. "Yes, Shisui always had many talents. Levitation and telekinesis among them. Teleportation is another. I…learned how to teleport from him when we were in high school together."

"I can't believe you could teleport all that time and you never taught me." Sasuke rolls his eyes. That was a useful ability. Then again, Itachi was cautious by nature. He'd probably just hadn't mentioned it because he was worried about Sasuke being spotted. "He said that THEY had been watching me for awhile. Shisui decided to approach me first without informing them. He's the head of his own division and can place me there. That way I won't get swept up into another department."

Itachi didn't like the way Sasuke talked about getting swept up into another department. "And what exactly is it that Shisui is planning on having you do?"

"What amounts to police work with magic. Monitoring the lists and punishing those who abuse their magic." Sasuke wasn't naive. Having magic didn't make a person evil, but it didn't necessarily make them good either. People were people. "He says with my lightning abilities, I could stun people. I'd probably reduce fatalities."

"And with your potential, you could be made to hone a lot of different abilities that would make you useful and dangerous." Itachi was no fool, he knew that being handed the sort of opportunity that Sasuke was came with the risk of becoming too powerful…and becoming a liability to the powers that be. "…Sasuke…about ten years ago, there was an attempt to recruit me into one of their units. I never found out exactly which one. I never met with the recruiter, and was never contacted again afterward. I managed to avoid being pulled into whatever scheme they had planned, but…" Apparently that was too much to ask for his little brother. "Are you sure that this is what you want? If I have to, I will go to them and break the minds of anyone I have to if it means keeping you safe."

"I know you would, Itachi, but you don't have to. This way, neither of us has to worry about being surprised one day." He places his hand on Itachi's and smiles. "Shisui will be in charge of my division. You said it yourself. He's got many talents. I'll be safe. He's even going to have me live with him. So, it'll be easier for me to hide abilities I have that I don't want them to see."

That…was probably the best that any of them could hope for, under the circumstances. Itachi just wished that Sasuke had had another choice. "Sasuke…will you promise me something?"

He nods without hesitation. Itachi looked so...desperate. "Of course. Anything."

Itachi turns his hand over and squeezes Sasuke's. "Never forget who and what you are. No matter what they have you do, remember who you are and what you believe in. Don't get lost in their system and disappear like he did."

"I will. I'm not going to lost. After, I had the best teacher imaginable. I had you." Sasuke squeezes Itachi's hand trying to offer some reassurance. His older brother had always been his protector even when Sasuke didn't need him to be. In some ways, this might actually be harder on Itachi than even their parents. "Don't worry so much. I won't be alone and I'll call you at the first sign of trouble. I know you'll come running. Besides, anyone who can dance like Shisui does has to be a great fighter."

"You…danced with Shisui?" Itachi's brow furrows in confusion. Just what had Shisui put into Sasuke drinks to make him so…willing to touch? "Or you watched him dance?"

"Danced with him." Sasuke tries not to gulp. Maybe he should have left that part out, but Itachi was Itachi. He'd get his answers one way or another. It was better to suck it up now. "I think he just wanted to distract me from everything. There were drinks involved and he just pulled me onto the dance floor. So, I went with it."

Itachi just takes a moment to stare in complete and utter surprise at his younger brother. Then, slowly, a smile finds its way onto his lips. "I see, so you fell into the thrall of Shisui's infamous charms. And here I would always try so hard to find you a suitable partner whenever we found a nice bar for the evening. It seems Shisui still has more sway in that department than I do."

"There was no thrall. He just grabbed me and it's different. Shisui is family. Kinda." Sasuke couldn't hide the annoyance in his voice. Itachi was reading too much into it. "He's not some random guy at a bar. I said that I danced with him...not that I fucked him." As soon as the final sentences leaves his mouth, Sasuke knew he was well and truly doomed.

Itachi's eyes gleam wickedly, an almost evil sort of mirth filling their deep, dark depths. "Perhaps not, but I know full well how attractive and charming Shisui is." One only needed eyes and ears for that to become apparent. "The fact that you bring it up means that you've at least considered letting Shisui have his way with you."

"Alright. He's easy on the eyes, but so is most of our family." Sasuke stabs his breakfast a little harder than necessary before taking a bite. A quick swallow follows before he finds words. "And why are you assuming he would top?"

"Because the Shisui I remember was a force of nature. There is simply no denying Shisui when he wants something." And Itachi had witnessed Shisui's pursuits more than most.

"Not that it matters because he only sees me as his 'cute little cousin,' but I would still top." Sasuke knew he was being childish, but he couldn't stop himself. "Force of nature or not."

Sasuke could tell himself that, but Itachi knew better than to believe it. "Whatever you say, Sasuke."

"Don't say it in that tone of voice." Great. Now, he was huffing like a kindergartner. "That's the one you use when you're humoring me."

"Sasuke, no matter how old you get, you will always be my cute, foolish little brother." Itachi points his fork at Sasuke's plate. "Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold I know that you're still hung over."

Sasuke grumbles as he goes back to eating his breakfast. "You're lucky you're a good cook." Whatever. At least he'd told Itachi everything and his brother wasn't protesting. Sasuke wasn't sure what he would have done if Itachi really didn't want him to go.

But inside, Itachi's gentle heart was bleeding. Ten years ago, he'd lost his best friend to these machinations. And now, he stood to lose his little brother as well.

* * *

Sasuke checks his suitcase for the third time that day. That seemed to be everything, but he had no idea what he was going to do with Itachi. "I'll text you and visit as often as I can. Remember, I'm going to live with our cousin. I'll be safe. Can you please stop pacing?"

"I'm not pacing." No, Itachi was checking to see if anything needed to be cleaned. His little brother was moving out and everything needed to be neat and tidy. When things were changing, things needed cleaning. That was just how life worked. So Itachi needed to clean.

"Itachi, the house is spotless. There's seriously nothing left to stress clean." Sasuke shakes his head. His brother was at it again. For some reason, Itachi had OCD when it came to cleaning. It was also a coping mechanism for stress. Their house was never anything other than tidy, but it practically sparkled whenever Itachi was freaking out about something.

The professor glares at his impudent, foolish little brother. "I am not stress cleaning." His little brother who was…leaving. Who was going somewhere that Itachi couldn't protect him.

"Right, you're not stress cleaning and I'm really straight." Sasuke snorts. Did Itachi really think that he was that oblivious? "Anyway, Shisui should be here soon. It's going to be okay, Itachi."

Would it? Itachi wasn't so sure about that. Sasuke was his precious little brother, the person that Itachi would kill for just to protect him. In some ways, he'd practically raised Sasuke. "Fine, I am stress cleaning, but only because I worry about this offer you've been made and whether it is truly the best thing for you."

Sasuke sighs and pokes Itachi's forehead. "Itachi, I love you, bu I'm a big boy now. I've made my decision and if something goes wrong, I know who to call."

"Yes, but-" Itachi frowns and turns his head as the doorbell rings. He sidles around Sasuke with a furrowed brow and strides down the hall to the door. But upon turning the handle and opening the door, his eyes widen. "Shi…"

"Hey, 'Tachi." Onyx eyes glimmer softly, warmly as that achingly familiar smile appears on his doorstep once again. "It's nice to see you again."

It was like seeing a ghost. Itachi knew the man before him better than…almost anyone else in his life. And yet it was like a stranger stood on his doorstep. The earrings were new, a hoop and two studs in each ear. So was the tiny, flame-like tattoo underneath his left ear that peeks out from his high collar. He blinks, then steps back to allow the man inside.

Shisui's smile grows sheepish for a half second, then he raises a hand to Itachi's neck and places a kiss on his best friend's cheek. "I missed you."

"…And I, you." It was surreal…Shisui stood in front of him, and yet Itachi couldn't quite bring himself to believe it. It had been so long…it was like a spirit had walked through his dreams.

Sasuke watches the entire exchange, feeling very much like some sort of eavesdropper. He'd never seen his brother react to anyone like that before. It was like Shisui was a freaking unicorn to Itachi or something. "Do you two want some time? I can wait a couple days if you want to hang out. I know it's been awhile."

As much as Shisui would like to take Sasuke up on that offer, he knew better than to indulge in a visit like that. "No, it's best that I don't linger. My presence will draw unwanted attention before long, and I'd rather not subject Itachi to any more scrutiny."

"Alright." He sighs, flicking Itachi's forehead again. "Don't worry so much. I'll be fine. I'll text you as soon as I'm settled in." He looks at Shisui. "Ready when you are."

Itachi's gaze fills with sadness, then empties of it as a cold, hard feeling settles into his stomach like a stone. "Alright. Just make sure that you look after yourselves." His gaze flicks momentarily to Shisui. "Both of you."

"We'll be fine, Itachi. I'll take good care of Sasuke for you." Shisui's lips twitch into a smirk and he winks slyly. "So don't worry about anything, Sweetheart. Your Prince Charming has it covered."

The empty, cold gaze softens a little under Shisui's warmth, but still Itachi exudes anxiety from every pore. "And watch out for Shisui, Sasuke. He's always been an incorrigible flirt."

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "It's alright, Sweetheart." Did Shisui really just call Itachi that? Apparently he had. Sasuke wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. "I'll be fine and he's more bark than bite. I mean he's flirting with you." Itachi's asexuality was something that had been written in stone as far as Sasuke could tell. Hopefully, Shisui wasn't actually trying to get Itachi to be his boyfriend or something. Itachi just didn't have an interest in that sort of thing.

"True." Shisui snickers and wraps an arm around Itachi's waist. "But you should have seen it the first time I tried flirting with Itachi. He sputtered so hard that I thought he was going to choke on his shock." Once Shisui had figured out that there wasn't going to be any permanent damage to his best friend, he promptly laughed his ass on and got smacked by an irritable and embarrassed Itachi for it.

"I do not sputter or choke up." Itachi refused to remember such a thing. "I was trying not to laugh because you were being horribly corny."

"Right, keep telling yourself that and maybe one day you'll forget what a Casanova I was." Shisui chuckles amusedly. "Sasuke, don't be like your brother, alright? When I inevitably make you do something you're embarrassed about, ten years from now I want you to laugh about it instead of denying such good comedy material."

"You're both right. Itachi sputters and Shisui is a cheesy flirt." Sasuke didn't really know what to make of it. If he didn't know better, he would have said Shisui was actually Itachi's lover. On the other hand, reality told him that was about as likely as Itachi dying his hair bright pink and joining a punk rock band. "And I'm not like Itachi. You're not going to embarrass me, Mr. Casanova."

Shisui's eyes gleam wickedly and he squeezes Itachi to his side. "Oh, we'll see about that, Sasuke. But if I really can't make you blush, then I'll get down on my knees and you can make me do anything you want."

Sasuke had heard of flirts before, but Shisui was in a category all his own. "I guess it makes sense you're friends with Itachi. You're weird. Why are you bringing BDSM into this conversation?"

"I didn't, you did. But if that's what turns you on, I can work with that." How interesting. Shisui knew that anyone trying to catch Itachi's attention was fighting a losing battle, but Sasuke had veered straight into kink territory. That could be very fun to tease him about in their downtime. "Do you prefer chains or a collar?"

"Bullshit. You're the one who said 'I'll get down on my knees and you can make me do anything you want,' how else could that POSSIBLY be interpreted other than some kinky master-slave shit?" Seriously, it wasn't a gray area. That was innuendo, pure and simple. And now Shisui was trying to act all innocent? That was not going to fly. "It's not really something I do, but you seem to know a lot about collars and chains. Probably a rope bunny or something with the way you're panting after Itachi." He hadn't really thought about it. Sasuke wasn't Itachi. He had a sex drive and he'd had a number of relationships, but none of them had ever lasted long enough for much 'exploring' to go on. That sort of thing took trust damn it.

"Sasuke, Shisui, enough." Itachi knew better than to let this little debate go on any longer. Only just getting started and it had escalated through the ceiling. "Sasuke, there is nothing wrong with exploring bondage. I've been told that it's quite enjoyable if performed properly. And Shisui, don't bait Sasuke right now, no matter how much fun it is. Wait until you're in your own house."

Sasuke rolls his eyes. Itachi was defending the honor of bondage. Something that Sasuke wasn't even questioning. People could do whatever the heck they wanted. It was just Shisui was obviously trying to pull his tail. "I don't care what people do. He's the one going for shock value and then acting all innocent when someone calls him on it."

"And here I was just trying to get to know my grown up little cousin before we're officially on the clock." Shisui pouts and his eyes shine like a sad puppy's. "Is that so wrong?"

"The puppy eyes are impressive, but they won't work on me." Really even he could almost get suckered by them. It took skill to pull off a face like that. Still, Sasuke grabs his suitcase, heading towards the car. "I'll see you later, Itachi."

Sasuke would see him later…Itachi truly hoped so. "Yes, farewell Sasuke."

Shisui glances at his little cousin as he disappears out the front door, then turns to his best friend and take Itachi's hands in his. "I'll look after him, I promise."

Itachi sighs and looks up into those earnest onyx eyes. For all of his flirting, Shisui was one of the most dependable people that Itachi had ever known. And it seemed that hadn't changed in all the time Shisui had been gone. "Thank you. But when he comes home to visit…will you come with him?"

That…was complicated in ways that Shisui wished he could explain. "I'll try. But I can't make any promises. Not if I want to keep you safe from them. Itachi…I will keep you both safe the best ways I know how. For Sasuke, that's to be by my side. For you, that's to stay here and live in peace."

Resigned, but understanding, Itachi nods and wraps his arms around his greatest and oldest friend. "I've missed you, Shisui. And I will miss you and Sasuke for all the time that you're gone."

"I know." Shisui knew how much it ached to be away. But for Itachi's sake, he had no choice. Decisions had consequences, and he would live with them for as long as he had to.

* * *

The driver's side door of the sleek blue electric car opens and Shisui slips in beside his passenger. "So, you're sure that you're ready to go, Sasuke?"

"I'm ready. The longer we take the leave the more painful it's going to be for Itachi." He sighs, buckling his seatbelt. Sasuke didn't have it in him to look back. It'd only make things harder. "So let's get going."

Shisui presses two buttons to start the car and pull it away from the curb, then another three to plot their course on the vehicle's interface. With any luck, he wouldn't actually have to take the wheel at all on their way to the airport. As they start to cruise down the hill, Shisui sits back in his sea and sighs. "He really wanted to protect you from this, didn't he?"

"He did. It's fine, though. Itachi has always been a pessimist. Not everything ends in tragedy." Sasuke glances out the window. Shisui's playful mood or whatever the hell that had been back there had shifted into a regal solemness. It was enough to make the hair on the back of Sasuke's neck stand up. "There are plenty of magical users who actually enjoy working for the government. It doesn't have to be some sort of nightmare."

"True, it doesn't have to be a nightmare. If you're lucky, even working in the covert divisions can be enjoyable." Shisui wished that his recruitment and transition had been so easy. "Honest headhunting is probably the gentlest way to be recruited into these units."

"I figured as much. The recruitment aspect is done, though." He turns his attention back to Shisui. On paper, it sounded like his cousin was agreeing. Sasuke just couldn't read how he felt about everything. "I get the feeling you hate your job."

"I don't hate my job. In fact, I actually enjoy my job. It helps me to keep an eye on our people and make sure that the people who are really dangerous don't hurt the one's who aren't." That much was true and Shisui was secure in that. "I just don't like seeing people get forced into doing what I do. Because not everyone is given a choice or a gentle recruitment like you."

Sasuke could read between the lines easily enough. Shisui's recruitment had been anything but easy. "I'm glad you like it, but what happened to you?" Something clearly had. Something bad.

Shisui goes quiet as he figures out the right words he needed so that he could put it…delicately. "When I was nineteen, a letter came for Itachi. It had an official seal on it and it contained much the same proposal that I sent you. Only…I saw what was in it, and they were heavy-handed in how they tried to recruit him. I knew that once they figured out the extent of Itachi's powers, that they would set him up to be a spy and assassin. And I knew that doing work like that would shatter Itachi. He's too gentle for that kind of work."

He couldn't hide his wince. While Shisui was wrong about Sasuke's current situation being his fault, he couldn't argue with his cousin when it came to Itachi. His brother would have been driven to insanity if his livelihood depended in part on killing people. "You're right. It would have. You helped Itachi get out of it?"

"I did, but I never told him." Shisui breathes out a long sigh. "I went to the recruiter in his place, found out every location of Itachi's file, then wiped his memory and sent him on his way. Then I went home and hacked into the database to find Itachi's file, and I destroyed practically everything in it. I managed to bump the assessment of his powers down to barely qualifying for the green list. Then I started messing around with other files to hide my tracks. That's when I got caught. They came for me in the morning and arrested me for espionage and treason. They gave me three choices. Be executed for treason. Restore whatever I'd done and be imprisoned for the rest of my life. Or work for them."

Sasuke blinks. It felt like someone had just slammed a brick into his skull. Shisui had nearly been executed. It was only because their cousin intervened that Itachi wasn't either dead or insane now. "And you obviously chose to work with them. I can see why you wanted to approach me first. They don't seem good at the whole making friends thing."

"No, they're certainly not." Shisui wouldn't wish that sort of encounter on anyone. "But I promise that you'll prefer working for me over any of the other division heads. I'll never ask you to do anything I'm not willing to do. And if there's something that you really can't do, I'll ask one of the others or take the mission myself. Because I'll be honest with you. Sometimes the work we do will seem morally questionable or even insane. But every action we take is what we think will cause the least amount of damage in the long run. We're not in this to be heroes, we're in this to stop the wrong people from running amok before things get worse."

"I'll keep that in mind and despite all that you said you liked the job." Sasuke felt like someone was playing ping pong inside his head. The conflicting messages were all over the place. He suspected that was probably how Shisui felt all the time. "I think I like it better when you're intoxicated. You're less grim then."

Shisui's lips turn up in a wry smirk. "Yeah, so I've been told. I'll be better once I'm back in the office. Despite everything I've said, having the ability to watch over our kind is comforting and getting to outsmart the dumb ones who try to use their powers to hurt people is a rush. It's like one big game of chess." Shisui glances at his cousin and shoots him a genuine smile. "I'm hoping that you'll turn out to be my queen."

"I hope so and that's an optimistic way to look at it." If Sasuke just ignored the implications of what had almost happened to Itachi and Shisui and pretended it was a game of chess, it'd be easier to compartmentalize. He might actually come to enjoy it. Though the last part causes him to roll his eyes. "You mean king."

"No, I mean queen. After all, a piece that can only move one space at a time and is in constant danger of capture wouldn't last long in my line of work." Shisui reaches for the controls and turns off the automatic drive as he puts his hands on the wheel. "And you're more valuable to me than that." He presses a button that retracts the roof over their heads, letting in the wind and midday sun. "Want to see what this baby can do?"

"Alright. The metaphor makes sense with the context, but I'm still not a woman." He watches as the more playful Shisui returns. Well, it maybe his car antics would serve as a useful distraction. "Sure. Let's see what it can do."

Shisui chuckles and puts the car into high gear. "Hold on tight, Sasuke." Because this was going to be fun.


	3. Chapter 3

When Lightning Strikes

**celestia193's Author's Note:** Happy New Year from the Pacific coast! To celebrate the new year and new decade, we bring you...chemistry that exploded somehow, but we are definitely happy with it. We hope that you will be too. Cheers!

Chapter 3

Shisui slings one of Sasuke's bags over his shoulder as the elevator slowly comes to a stop at the top of the building, the penthouse apartment that spanned three floors. Shisui had moved here four years ago and he hadn't regretted it even once. "I've got two guest rooms on the top floor, so you can pick whichever one you like more. They both have en-suite bathrooms, but the one next to mine has a better view of the city."

He steps out of the elevator into a spacious room of a white so pure it could almost be made of unveined marble, and decorated with the furnishings of both a living room and dining room. "The kitchen is through the arch there." He points along the wall past the circular stairs that rise into the ceiling. "And downstairs is the den. That's where all of the entertainment is for whenever we get time to actually relax"

"I don't have a set time for meals since work makes my schedule unpredictable, but you can use anything in the cupboards, fridge, or freezer that isn't in my special pantry cooler." Shisui grins cheekily at his little cousin. "That's where I keep my special snacks, and everyone knows not to touch those."

Sasuke stares around in awe. True, their family was rich, but he and Itachi had decided to largely make it on their own. Their house was comfortable and obsessively clean thanks to Itachi's OCD, but nothing like this. "Got it. I choose a guest room and can cook whatever I want as long as I don't touch your precious snacks. This place is amazing."

"Yes, it is. I'm glad that I have a housekeeper that comes in three times a week, otherwise this place would be a disaster." Shisui just didn't really have the time or energy to clean this place top to bottom like Itachi would. "But since I can take a couple of days off to help you get settled in, I'll cook something up for us later. It's been ages since I last had time to really get into the kitchen and have some fun." Shisui's eyes gleam softly in excitement. "Come, I'll show you the guest rooms." Shisui strides to the stairs and hauls one of Sasuke's bags up there as if it weighed no more than a pillow.

"Housekeeper nice." He follows Shisui, looking around at everything curiously. Sasuke wasn't sure why Shisui carting around his stuff was so impressive. Of course he had to be strong. He was basically a magical cop, but knowing that and seeing were two different things. Speaking of seeing, he was enjoying the view. Just not the one Shisui had in mind. Damn. That was one well-sculpted posterior.

Shisui smirks. Sasuke's thoughts were getting loud again, just like they had that night on the dance floor. When he comes to the top of the stairs, he steps just out of Sasuke's line of sight, more than a little amused at the slight disappointment emanating from his cousin. He snaps his fingers and the doors to both guest rooms open.

Decorated largely the same way, with a queen-sized bed and drawers built into the wall shared with the closet, it was at once fully equipped with everything one needed for comfortable living without compromising a need for open space. Out the far room, however, is a largely unobstructed view of the ocean out past the city skyline.

"You're very dramatic. What with the finger snapping and peacocking." Sasuke shakes his head in amusement looking around, staring the stunning view. The ocean and skyline could both be seen easily and intermingled in a strange mismatched harmony. "You were right about the view, though."

"I like to be dramatic sometimes. Just wait till we get to the office and I walk into the room. Depending on my mood, I might just walk in there like I'm the king of the castle or like I'm a movie star. But usually I just arrive ready to flirt with half my team." Shisui winks teasingly. "Do you want to be on that list, Sasuke?"

Sasuke could all too easily picture this side of Shisui doing exactly that. He'd likely strut straight into office with all the flare of a thoroughbred race horse. No, a freaking thoroughbred unicorn. "I can see it, but I prefer to be on more exclusive lists. I never was good at sharing."

"Oh, is that what you want, Sasuke?" Shisui's gaze glimmers with mirth and heat as he sets down Sasuke's bag in the doorway of the preferred guest room. Then he strides to Sasuke's side and place a hand on his little cousin's hip. "An exclusive list?"

Why did Shisui look like he was so entertained by Sasuke's reaction? "If I was involved with someone, yes." It was hard to tell how serious his cousin was about any of it. He'd just said he flirted with half his division. This was probably normal for him.

"Then does that mean all of our dancing at Eternity was…exclusive?" Shisui takes the suitcase from Sasuke's grip and sets it on the floor. "Or is that just how Sasuke Uchiha rolls when he's out at a nightclub?" He pulls Sasuke back a half step to rest against him in a position identical to the one from that night. He hums softly against Sasuke's neck. "Because I seem to remember you enjoying those dances quite a lot."

"I had a lot of alcohol in my system, but you didn't see me dance with anyone else. Did you?" Sasuke shivers at the sensual sensation of Shisui's breath against his neck. "And you're a great dancer." Who also happened to be hot as hell even if he was confusing as fuck. "Why wouldn't I enjoy it?"

Shisui's gaze grows hot and heavy on Sasuke's body. "You're right, I didn't let you run off to dance with anyone else. You were very…dedicated to me that evening. It was very sweet. So of course I returned the favor." He smirks and nips at the curve of Sasuke's ear.

"Let's get one thing straight." Sasuke sighs in pleasure at the ear nip, his blood already heating up. "No one lets fire do anything. If I wanted to, I could have danced with every single gay man in that club, but I didn't because I chose to focus on you. I prefer quality over quantity."

A soft snicker falls from Shisui's lips as he holds his cousin close and presses a gentle kiss to the back of Sasuke's head. The thick, spiky locks tickle his nose pleasantly. "You're right, of course." And yet, underneath the flirting, he was still a gentleman. "If I reach the point where I make you uncomfortable, tell me. I want you to be happy and safe and comfortable here. You are here so that I can protect you, and I swear that I'll do everything I can to keep you safe, Sasuke."

"Damn right, I'm right." Life would be so much easier if people could just assume that from the beginning, Sasuke muses. Though he considers Shisui's words with a small pause. "I believe you want to keep me safe, but you know I'm not made of glass, right? I own a dojo and control two forces of nature."

"Of course you're not made of glass, Sasuke. But there's a lot for me to teach you and not nearly as much time as I'd like for you to learn it. If I could, I'd teach you everything I know over the next decade an make sure that you're as prepared as you can be. Since I can't, the best I can do is train you as we go and protect you as best I can while you learn." He chuckles huskily. "I can even teach you the fun applications of magic, if you want. Like how to achieve an orgasm in less than ten seconds."

"Good and we'll train as we go." Sasuke tilts his head at the last part. A happy Shisui was apparently a deviant Shisui. "You're joking about that last part. You don't actually know how to do that." He had to be yanking his chain. Shisui's voice was doing wonders for his libido, though. Sasuke had always had a high sex drive even if he didn't date that much, but those husky tones were like a sexy caress to the ears.

Shisui smirks and presses his fingers to the back of Sasuke's neck and to the base of his spine. He starts the tantalizingly seductive magic off at a low hum, only to increase the power exponentially over the next few seconds as he activates the pleasure receptors and sends a wave of hormones coursing through Sasuke's body.

"Fuck! Shisui!" Sasuke pants, trying to force himself not to cum on the spot. Apparently, it was very possible to get off that quickly thanks to magic and Shisui was all too happy to demonstrate.

"I like it when you say my name like that." Shisui moves a hand to the front of Sasuke's pants and presses there just enough to provide friction as he sends a powerful, stuttering jolt through Sasuke's body.

Sasuke had been prepared for all sorts of attacks as a martial artist and magic user. Physical, magic, or both. He'd just never thought magic could be used in this way.

It felt good, though. Too good. The smug, seductive words, teasing touch, and magic spiraling throughout his veins was an impossible elixir of carnal pleasure. His body reacted instinctively, bucking against Shisui as he surrenders to the sexy spell. He came hard and fast. "Fuck, Shisui! T-That's cheating!"

"Oh I know that it's cheating. But it's fun to cheat with magic sometimes. Especially when I get to see such a gorgeous face twisted in pleasure." Shisui kisses Sasuke's cheek and slowly removes his hands. "I hope that teaches you a lesson about underestimating me, Sasuke. I'm not the teenage cousin you remember anymore. There's a lot more to me now than that."

"Well, at least you admit it's cheating." Sasuke pants trying desperately to catch his breath. "I'm going to go...clean up and get changed." Damn that was embarrassing. He'd never gotten off that fast before. "Then maybe we can talk about your list." Because Sasuke was pretty damn sure that Shisui giving him an orgasm via magic meant...something. He wasn't really sure what. Shisui might have been doing it just to prove he could, but then he called Sasuke gorgeous and kissed his cheek.

"Alright. The bathroom's interface is already stocked with everything you need. It can mix up any sort of scented soap, shampoo, and conditioner you can think of. And if it can't, let me know and I'll find the oils and add them to the interface." Shisui pats Sasuke's backside teasingly. "I'll go take care of myself, then get food started. Alright?"

Sasuke bites his lower lip and nods. "Yeah. I'm sure the bathroom is great. I'll see you in awhile." All he could think of was do not blush. Do not blush.

Shisui chuckles as he retreats from the room and the door slides shut behind him. Ah…Sasuke was so adorable. It was almost a pity to leave him to take that shower.

* * *

Sasuke wasn't sure how long he stayed in the shower. The hot water was soothing and it'd taken him quite a while to choose from what seemed like a million different kinds of shampoo and body wash. Seriously, how many did Shisui need? Anyway, the fluffy towels were nice and it didn't take him long to change into some clean clothes. Yeah. Clothes that hadn't gotten...dirty thanks to Shisui's sneaky sexy magic.

Once he was sure he looked like hadn't just had gotten off from being frisked by said magic, Sasuke heads to the kitchen. Shisui appeared hard at working putting cheese and tomato on ciabatta, spicing a tomato salad, and piling together some sandwiches. "Itachi must have told you that I like tomatoes."

"Sasuke…" Shisui presses a hand to his heart as he nearly swoons in despair at the sight of his cousin. "Do you really think so poorly of me that you believe I wouldn't remember your favourite food?"

"Well, it has been awhile." Sasuke sits down as his eyes roam over the culinary delights Shisui was preparing. "It looks good." It really did, but Sasuke wasn't really sure how to broach what had just happened. He still couldn't believe he got off and Shisui barely touched him.

Honestly…his cousin was such an open book that Shisui didn't even have to try to peek into Sasuke's mind. "Sasuke, if you keep thinking so loudly, I'm going to know what you're thinking before you do."

"Thinking loudly?" He shoots him a confused look until it suddenly dawns on him. "You've got to be fucking kidding me. You can read minds?"

"Among many…many other things, yes." Shisui places all of the food on a large platter and bring it to the kitchen island. He places it in front of Sasuke and takes a seat opposite him. "And before you ask, no, I haven't been using my power on you. It's just that when thoughts are very loud and in close proximity to me, I over hear them. Unless I'm consciously blocking them out so that I can focus another of my powers."

"Well that's...humiliating on multiple levels." Sasuke sighs. Just his luck. Not only could Shisui use sexual magic, he could also read his mind too. This was not a fair fight. "Anyway...I appreciate the honesty."

"Sasuke…" Shisui sighs and reaches across the table to take Sasuke's hands in his own. "I won't use it to spy on your mind I promise. I wouldn't abuse your trust and violate the sanctity of your mind for my own personal gain. If ever I read your mind, it will be something I need to do to protect you. And more that likely, I'll be letting you hear my thoughts as well."

"You know my life would be a lot easier if I had that ability." He'd never really tried to expand his abilities much. Focusing only on the most diverse ways to utilize his fire and recently lightning. He hadn't wanted to get caught.

Shisui's lips curve into a smile. "I can teach you that as well. In fact, it's one of the basic skills that you'll need to learn to work effectively as part of our team. When I took over this division, I restructured it and set out a small list of skills and abilities that everyone on the team had to do their best to try and learn. True, sometimes certain abilities are too difficult to learn. I know that. But enough of the people on the team have completed the list that they can make up for anyone who hasn't yet completed it, or has found themselves with an ability they're fundamentally incompatible with."

"Wait. Mindreading is a BASIC skill?" The thought was a mindblowing one to say the least. Sasuke had never heard of anyone doing it, but Shisui was treating it like it was a common gift.

"On my team, yes. It's an essential skill for communication beyond what we can achieve with our tech." Shisui had made quite a number of major changes to the division when he was put in charge. "I actually have a setup in the office that can increase the range of my telepathy and let me connect to agents out in the field. It's an important array, especially on night missions when coordination is everything. We're jokingly called the Magitek Division. But…they're not wrong."

"I guess that makes sense and that would level the playing field." Sasuke bites into the meal Shisui had prepared and groans quietly. It was an explosion of pleasure for his taste buds.

"You know, I hadn't expected to see you orgasm over my cooking, but please, go right ahead." Shisui smirks devilishly, fully aware of Sasuke's thoughts when he first entered the kitchen.

Sasuke looks down at his food, feeling his cheeks burn a bit. "Well, it IS really good cooking."

Shisui watches his cousin, entirely too pleased with himself. "I win, Sasuke."

"You win the blushing thing. I got a home-cooked meal and an orgasm. So, I think I've won overall." Sasuke huffs, taking a quick gulp of his drink.

"True. But I'm sure that you'll provide me with even more entertainment tomorrow." Shisui picks up a piece of the ciabatta and takes a bite of the fresh, creamy, crunchy concoction. "By the way, there's vodka in that glass of grapefruit juice."

Sasuke sputters. It was far from dignified for a bunch of grapefruit juice with a splash of vodka to come spewing out of his mouth, but fuck. He was not prepared for that. His face was now burning even hotter at the implications of it. Shisui remembered the vodka and how it tended to make Sasuke more...physical than he usually would be.

Images of their dancing underneath the otherworldly lighting of the nightclub and surrounded by music designed to arouse the imagination and bewitch the senses were now blitzing across his mind at a dazzling pace. "Really...you put vodka in grapefruit juice?"

With a wave of his hand, Shisui stops the flying juice and alcohol in mid air, then directs every droplet harmlessly to the sink. "All the time. It's better for you than whiskey in coffee." At least Shisui made sure that his fruit juices were always freshly squeezed. He downs his own glass in one draught and places it empty on the table. "Never too much, though, so if you're worried about getting frisky with me again, you can relax." Shisui smiles amusedly. "Its just enough to relax you a bit. Trust me, in our line of work, you're going to get well-acquainted with alcohol, so it's best to start building your tolerance early."

"You were getting frisky with me. You," Sasuke wasn't really sure how to even describe what Shisui had done, "used your magic on me." Just that it had been an intense erotic euphoria that had smacked into him with all the force and forewarning of a tsunami. "You might be right about the tolerance thing, though." Sasuke had never really sought out or shied away from alcohol. Given that he was becoming a magical cop of sorts, well...yeah, a higher tolerance was probably a good idea.

Shisui chuckles and takes another bite as he sits back in his chair. Really, Sasuke was so amusing to watch, especially when he sulked a bit. "Sasuke, that night in the club…there was no magic involved at all. Just me, you, and your inability to hold your liquor. Not that I'm surprised, Itachi is such a lightweight that he's drunk after two shots. He definitely wouldn't survive the sort of work you're going to be doing. Especially if I send you undercover somewhere."

"I hold my liquor fine." Sasuke wouldn't let Shisui peg him as a lightweight so easily. "It was only dancing." Maybe his hands and eyes had wandered more than they normally would, though. Alright. They definitely had, but that was what people did at nightclubs anyway and Shisui was hot.

"Good, but you're going to need more than just fine." Shisui's gaze sharpens slightly, the humor disappearing from the onyx irises. "Sasuke, we deal with some of the worst of our kind, the ones with little to no remorse, and those who have no hesitation in using their abilities to hurt people, magical or not. If I send you to spy on them, like I've done myself more times than I can count, then you're going to have to be able to drink with the best and worst of them. You'll have to talk like them, walk like them, drink like them, and think like them. Do you understand?"

"I understand. No different than putting out fires. You have to understand the nature of what you're dealing with." The fact it was people who were causing the destruction was...unsettling, but he'd still be protecting others. Really he was lucky it was Shisui who had found him. It was all too easy to imagine a far less savory scenario. "And at least you recognize that I have a higher alcohol tolerance than Itachi. So...you're not completely oblivious."

The humor returns to Shisui's eyes as he chuckles and reaches out to ruffle Sasuke's hair. "Cheeky brat. I can still drink you under the table and be sober enough to work a full day without dropping."

"You probably could." Honestly, Sasuke was starting to wonder if there was anything Shisui couldn't do. He could read minds, dirty dance with the best of them, cook, possessed telekinetic abilities, and even knew how to mix magic with sex. It was insane. "It wouldn't stop me from trying, though and you didn't seem to mind my brattiness when you were frisking me." He didn't know why, but Shisui had a way of making him lose whatever marginal impulse control he had. Whether it was sexy dancing or pulling a tiger by its tail.

Shisui's gaze heats like a blazing fire and he slowly puts down what remains of his food. "Careful, Sasuke. I'm supposed to be giving you a tour of the office today to get you acquainted with the team. It would be very hard to do that if you can't walk for the next two days. You may be my little cousin, but I'm not above teaching you a lesson about pulling a tiger's tail."

Sasuke almost gulps, but manages not to as he meets Shisui's gaze. Fuck there was something primal dancing in those irises. Primal and scorching hot in intensity. "I'm younger, but I'm not little. Besides, you're more like a playful kitten than a tiger anyway. Definitely more grapefruit than vodka. So yeah, you should give me that tour."

"Oh I plan to." After all Shisui wasn't quite so easily sidetracked that he would just forget entirely about the point of bringing Sasuke here in the first place. But that didn't mean he was one to just let a blatant challenge like that go. "But on our way there, I think that you should take some time to imagine just what would happen if I dragged you by the hair to my bed, tied your hands up tight, and put you on your knees so I could fuck you like an animal, Sasuke."

Was it too late to get a cold shower? Probably. Still, Sasuke mentally manages to pat himself on the back for not stuttering like some kid with their first crush. "Bit more exotic than I would have imagined, but I could get behind that. Well, more like I'd get behind you. I think you got the roles mixed up." He gulps down what little remained of his grapefruit juice. Yeah. He was definitely going to need some liquid courage from whatever vodka remained inside his drink if Shisui was going to be throwing sexy scenarios like that around.

Shisui laughs sadistically. "You're ten years too early to be thinking about topping me, Sasuke. Maybe I'll let you bend me over my desk once you've got a little more experience under your belt. Because if you think that's exotic, then you're in for a treat later."

Sasuke huffs at the laughter. "It's not the number of candles on your birthday cake that matter, but how you use them." Shisui was older than him and who really knew what other sorts of sexy magic tricks he had hidden up his sleeve, but Sasuke could out-stubborn him.

"Oh believe me, I've got my candles and I know how to use them too." Shisui grins wickedly. "All over your back if wax-play is what you're into."

"Well, I know you know how to use your magic. I haven't seen the candlestick demonstration yet, though." Sasuke knew standing his ground was important here. If he gave Shisui an inch, he'd try to take a mile. A very dominant mile apparently. "And what the hell is wax-play?"

"Wax-play…" Shisui lifts a hand and tilts it as though grasping a candle. "Is where you take a candle with wax that has a very low melting temperature, and you light it, then let it drip slowly onto your lover's skin. You like fire, so I bet you'd love feeling the heat of it on your skin."

Sasuke feels himself shiver slightly as Shisui's words paint a rather vivid picture in his mind. Bare skin, heat, and Shisui's hands all over him. Fuck. He really needed that cold shower. "Never heard of it. If you're into it though and beg really nicely, I could give it a go. Fire is kinda my thing. So, I'd be able to make you moan with that one." It couldn't be that hard. If people without fire magic could do it...then yeah, Sasuke could definitely manage.

His little cousin really needed to learn how to better temper his thoughts. Because Shisui could see every perverted little thought racing through Sasuke's head. "One of these days, Sasuke, I look forward to showing you that sometimes pride must bend for the sake of pleasure. Bottoming isn't shameful, Sasuke. It's all about pleasure and the giving and receiving of it. Bottoming isn't about submission either. It's about having someone who wants to take care of you and make you feel like you're flying."

"I know there isn't. It's just not my thing." He'd always been in control. Just like his element. His partners had all loved it. There were certain things that were difficult to fake. Those moans were definitely one of them. So, there hadn't really been a reason to fix what wasn't broken. "Wait. Why are we debating this again?"

"We're not, because if it were a debate, even your brother would have conceded by now." Shisui reaches across the counter to poke Sasuke squarely in the forehead. "So lighten up a little, Sasuke. If you'd rather use me as a sensual experiment first, that's fine. But considering how tightly you're wound, I think you could use a good round of sex to loosen you up a little. I don't want you to wind yourself right up into a heart attack."

Sasuke grumbles, rubbing his forehead. Shisui really was Itachi's best friend. He even 'argued' like Itachi with forehead pokes. "What do you mean by sensual experiment?" And was he actually serious about becoming lovers? Shisui did seem to alternate between dirty, harmless banter and wanting to dance in another way. Between the sheets and with no clothes.

Shisui smirks at Sasuke's adorable grumbly face. "There's a lot of kinks out there Sasuke, and you deserve the chance to explore them. And who knows…" Shisui winks suggestively. "You might find a few that you really like."

Sasuke could feel his face growing hot at Shisui's offer. Was he really a man or some kind of nymph? Everything he did was somehow erotic. "Keep dreaming."

With a laugh, Shisui holds up his drink. "Oh, I intend to."


	4. Chapter 4

When Lightning Strikes

**Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 4

Shikamaru watches the newest member of their team behind thick, protective glass. He could see Sasuke's every movement through the glass and on camera if he wanted to freeze or enlarge things. At the moment, his attention was split between reading the recruit's written results and watching him showcase his abilities. Both of which are impressive.

He glances at Shisui, after doing a few final tallies. The test was rather thorough as it tested one's general intelligence, magical knowledge, and even their temperament. Temperament tests were done by posing multiple scenarios at the latest recruit until they could discern a general pattern in how they coped with field situations. "He scores as a genius. I can't dispute that. His magical knowledge is impressive for someone who isn't formally trained. He's better than the average recruit, but it's still not enough to send him on any sort of solo mission." That much was clear. It'd been awhile since Shikamaru had encountered such promising results. "He's a hotheaded strategist. We won't have to worry about him freezing up in dangerous situations. It's making sure he doesn't jump into one that will be troublesome. He's a battering ram and used to working alone. He'll need to adapt to being part of a unit."

Shisui couldn't disagree with the assessment. There was a reason that he kept Shikamaru on his team and made sure to…dissuade any other unit leaders against trying to recruit his best strategist out from under his nose. "He'll be staying with me, so I'll be training him personally. He might not have had formal training before, but I know the way his mind works. Set a challenge in front of an Uchiha and tie it to their pride and they'll work at it until they succeed or find a better way to do it." He smiles wryly at the blunt and honest assessment. "I would know, after all."

"You Uchihas are a different breed. I'm sure he'll catch up in terms of practical knowledge soon." Shikamaru's eyes turn towards Sasuke who was now aiming a small fireball if one could call it that at their magic detectors. It was only about the size of a pinky finger. "I told him to create the smallest actual flame he could. He'll be making his largest afterward. This is to test his magical control."

"Good. And thank you for taking over his testing while I was busy." Work never seemed to end for Shisui, and thanks to his little vacation to recruit his cousin, he'd had a small mountain of it to take care of the minute he stepped back into the office. Shisui's gaze narrows slightly at the tiny flame. It was a cute, flickering orange. Not very bit, not very hot, like the flame of a candle flickering back and forth. "I'll have to work with him to see if he can produce hotter flames that size. It could help him with infiltration, if he needs to access something in a locked room."

"It'd definitely be useful for infiltration. Now, let's see if he can dispel it and try for something larger. Some missions require finesse and others need brute force to get the job done." Shikamaru nods at Shisui. It didn't escape his notice how fondly the other magic user was looking at his cousin. What a drag. It was going to get annoying if Shisui slacked on his paperwork in favor of 'training' his cousin. He shakes his head at the thought, turning the microphone on. "That's enough. Get rid of your flame with magic if you can and if you can't, just smother it. I want see what your fire magic can do at maximum power. This glass is specially designed so you don't have to worry about our safety or tripping the fire alarm. We've turned it off for this exercise."

Sasuke nods hearing the voice. A quick wave of his hand banishes the small flame. What was less easy to control was his racing thoughts. Did he want to downplay his abilities or show his hand? He was in Shisui's unit. So, he should be safe.

Sighing and deciding Itachi would kill him later, he decides to go all out. After all, the government already knew he put out massive wildfires. A burst of flame surrounds his body and spans out filling the room like an inferno. Red, orange, blue, violet, white, and even tiny black flames raged around him. None of them burning him.

"He's got a lot of firepower." Shikamaru snorts at his own joke. "His flames are impossibly hot at full power. Weak when he wants small ones." Shikamaru watches the magic dial that measured such things. "He seems immune to them and can put them out in an instant. Magic control is a bit above average, but where he excels is raw power. What do you think so far?"

"I think that his raw talent gives us a lot to work with. But being so specialized in pyrokinesis might make it difficult for him to grasps the other skills I plan to teach him." It really would be a shame if Shisui failed to teach Sasuke because he was just too talented in one particular form of magic. But he had faith in his little cousin. Their family produced geniuses regularly, and he was sure that Sasuke would prove himself to be a genius in all capacities.

He takes control of the speakers himself with a smile on his lips. "Well done Sasuke, you can put the fire out now. Then we'll start venting oxygen into the room." After all, in a confined space, there was only so much oxygen. If Sasuke wasn't careful, burning himself would be the least of his worries because burning through his oxygen supply could kill much faster than flames.

"We'll see. Even if fire is all he can do, it's a useful skill and he owned a dojo. So, we know he's a capable fighter." Shikamaru folds his hands, running dozens of scenarios through his mind. "His intelligence, physical capabilities, and fire magic is more than enough to justify his placement in our division. I hope he'll prove able to learn other kinds of magic, of course. But if he doesn't...he'll manage. As I said, Uchiha are a rare breed."

Shikamaru seemed like a friendly enough lazy genius, but it was a relief to hear Shisui's voice. Sasuke smiles and puts out his fire. "Oxygen is good. So, are we done with testing?"

Shisui chuckles. As if he would be nearly that merciful. "Almost, Sasuke, there's just one more testing section you need to pass." He laces his fingers together and cracks his knuckles. "You've got brains in your head and magic in your blood, but now we need to see how you handle yourself in a fight. First, we're going to fight hand to hand, then I'm going to teach you how to shoot a gun."

"I don't mind fighting. Who am I going up against?" Sasuke shrugs. He wouldn't scare that easily. "As for shooting, you pull the trigger and aim." He'd never fired one...unless you counted water guns and paintball guns. Still, he should have seen that coming. He was going to be a cop.

Oh…his cousin had no idea what he was in for. Shisui smirks and leans in close to the microphone. "Sasuke…you'll be fighting me."

"Come on, Shisui. I don't want to have to kick your ass. You're family." Sasuke groans, shaking his head. Knowing his cousin though, Shisui was going to be stubborn. "Never mind. I should have seen this coming since you're the head of the division. I'll try to make your beating quick, though."

Shisui laughs at his little cousin's courage and audacity. "I look forward to it, Sasuke. Get your training clothes and meet me down the hall, fourth door on the right, in the room marked Training Room 3."

"I'll be there." Sasuke slips off and changes into his training clothes, which he'd left in a small storage room off the main office. He stretches his arms above his head and bends over slowly, deliberately. His blood pumps faster in anticipation of the fight as he finishes stretching and turns back out of the storage room and down the right side of the hall.

He was used to fighting people at his dojo and it always ended in his favor. He didn't expect this would be different, but with a body like that...Shisui might give him a challenge. When it came to magic, his cousin had the edge, but in a ring...that was familiar territory.

Shisui looks up when he hears footsteps outside of the training room. His lips curve into a sly smirk as his little cousin turns the corner. "So, you decided to join me, Sasuke?"

He pulls on a pair of dark, fingerless gloves to match the skintight, sleeveless shirt he wore that left bare a number of tattoos swirling over his shoulders and across his back underneath the dark fabric. Shisui was dressed to impress, yes, but also to intimidate. He had no fear of injury and wasn't afraid to show that. In the field, the tactic worked to deter possible opponents. It gave an air of barely restrained power, of danger. Only the foolish took Shisui on in physical combat.

"Nice tattoos." Sasuke raises an eyebrow, hoping Shisui wasn't doing that mind thing. For some reason the fingerless gloves and fuck it the whole outfit was really doing it for him. "So what are the rules?"

"No permanent injuries and don't aim to kill." Shisui didn't believe in making the rules overly complicated. Complex rules just left loopholes to be exploited. "Fight the best way that you know how and show me what you're made of." He turns to face Sasuke with a smirk plastered on his face. "And thank you. I've collected a few tattoos over the years doing this job. I like to think they make me more attractive."

"Let me guess, your code name is Peacock." Sasuke rolls his eyes, trying not to focus on how ridiculously attractive that smirk looked on Shisui. He'd wipe it off his cousin's face soon enough anyway. "Deal. Just let me know when you had enough."

Sasuke comes flying at Shisui with his fists raised. His outfit was designed to intimidate and he probably expected Sasuke would try to be sneaky due to the experience gap. The direct approach would work best in a mix of styles. Shisui was probably proficient in martial arts, but if he could make his combinations creative enough...he might throw him off.

"Good form." Shisui slides smoothly back, twisting his body as he catches Sasuke by the wrist and flips his little cousin clean over his shoulder and hard onto the ground in less than two seconds.

"You're fast." Sasuke grunts as he lands on the ground. He gets back up almost as suddenly as he landed. He'd have to take that into account. Use Shisui's speed against him.

Sasuke makes rushes forward again, this time aiming a kick at Shisui's side only to pull it back at the last second knowing. Shisui would dodge again. Sasuke was sure of it when he starts to, he brings his other leg and fist to slam it into Shisui's shoulder.

Shisui sidesteps the blows as if he were as nothing more than a ghost. They sail past his shoulder and he catches Sasuke's leg, yanking it as he pulls his cousin towards him and hit him squarely with a punch to the diaphragm. "Don't make your moves so obvious, Sasuke. You can't use my speed as a weakness if I know what you're going to do next."

Sasuke coughs up some blood, shaking himself until he recovers from the hit. "Are you using some kind of magic to be faster?" He'd never seen speed like this before. Not that it mattered. A frontal attack and a side feint hadn't worked. He jumps a few feet in the air, delivering a series of punches and kicks in a rabid succession. "I call this Lion's Barrage!"

"Maybe." Shisui blocks the first four punches and all of the kicks, but catches the last punch and pushes Sasuke back before delivering three lightning fast jabs to Sasuke's abdomen that could make even the strongest man go numb.

"C-Cheater. You didn't say we could use magic." Sasuke hisses as Shisui's fists become far too acquainted with his abdomen for his liking. He lands on the floor, trying to get up but he felt numb.

"I'm not cheating. I said no permanent damage and no kill shots." Shisui holds up a hand and tiny sparks of lightning crackle around his fingers. "But I'll admit that I've been fighting dirty. You have excellent form, speed, and technique. It's all perfect for entering a martial arts tournament." Shisui's gaze hardens slightly as he taps two fingers against his head. "But in the real world, when we deal with criminals, we have to use our brains and whatever dirty tricks we can think of, even if that means reading your mind and numbing your muscles with lightning. Proper technique won't earn you respect among the people we deal with. Putting your opponent on the ground and not holding back does."

"It might not technically be cheating, but it's close enough." Sasuke glowers, but eyes the lightning with wonder. "You can use lightning too? Is there anything you CAN'T do?" He sighs, trying to move once more. It didn't work any better than the first time. "How long until I can move normally again?"

"Just a few minutes, I didn't hit you with very much." Shisui reaches out his hand and pulls Sasuke carefully to his feet. "And there's plenty that I can't do. I've just been working very hard over the last twenty-five years to hone every talent I have. In the last ten of those, my talents have multiplied. And I can teach you some of them if you're willing to learn."

Sasuke takes the hand offered to him and stands. It was awkward considering he couldn't feel part of his body, but he manages. "I was always told not to use my magic." That it was safer that way. Itachi had a fit every single time Sasuke showcased his abilities. "My brother gets away with it because his powers aren't offensive. Maybe if I had started as early as you had...I'd be able to do more." Sasuke didn't even known if he could do anything beyond fire and lightning. They had come as naturally as breathing. "I've never tried, but as you said we need every trick available to us. So, I'm willing to try. I can't promise my magic is as adaptable as yours because...I honestly don't know if it is or not."

"It might not be as adaptable as mine yet, but all we have to do is build on your strengths and teach you a few basic tricks, and then you'll see your talents blossom from there." Shisui turns Sasuke's hand over and lets the sparks envelop his fingers again. "Here, take this and see how long you can hold my lightning for." Shisui deposits a small sphere of crackling green lightning in Sasuke's palm and slowly starts to back away, ready just in case Sasuke's legs prove too weak to support him.

"I guess we'll see." He watches as sparks form in Shisui's hand only for them to form into a green sphere of lightning. "Why is your lightning green, but sure?" Sasuke holds the lightning, examining it curiously. It was...sparkier than his, but the lightning actually felt good. Really good. "Are you doing that...magic frisking thing again?"

Shisui snorts softly and shoots Sasuke a smirk. "No, but if that's what you want, I can certainly oblige." He raises his hand and snaps his fingers to increase the voltage of the lightning and spread it right through Sasuke's body.

"Shisui!" Sasuke gasps, not expecting the sudden 'attack.' It wasn't like before. This time it wasn't concentrated and intended to get him off fast...this was more like a possessive, rough magical caress. It was lighting a fire in his blood that definitely shouldn't be ignited while at 'work.' "F-Fuck. That's not fair and you know it!"

"Of course it's not fair, Sasuke." Shisui smirks wickedly as he increases the voltage a little more and has the green lightning sink into Sasuke's skin. "I don't have to play by the conventional rules anymore, so you shouldn't expect me to. I will use dirty, under-handed tricks to win and get what I want."

"Damn peacocking showoff." He squirms, thankfully the numbness had finally worn off. Not that it did much good when he was getting seduced by green lightning.

He could feel the lightnin stroking his magic and was dimly aware of a faint humming sound. His blue lightning radiated from his skin on a low voltage. Before he could really analyze what he was doing, he covers Shisui's mouth with his. "You already won anyway."

Shisui's eyes widen at the sudden, unexpected kiss. The his whole body shivers and he wraps his arms around Sasuke and deepens the kiss. He could feel the heat of passion pouring off of Sasuke within the lightning. It was enthralling…intoxicating. "Sasuke…"

Sasuke allows Shisui to deepen the kiss, wrapping his arms around the other man's neck. Small blue sparks could be seen bouncing off his skin, but it didn't seem to hurt Shisui. If anything..it appeared to be the opposite. "I'd say you're immune to my lightning, but I think you're just as turned on as I am."

**Warning Lemon**

"You think?" Shisui lowers his hands to Sasuke's hips and pulls them firmly against his own and against his hard and very interested cock. "First lesson…be careful how you use that lightning of yours. Otherwise you're liable to be known as a cocktease, Sasuke."

"Yeah. I think so." Sasuke feels his breath hitch at the undeniable evidence of Shisui's arousal. "And I'm not the cocktease. You sparked me first." He feels his cheeks burn slightly. Sasuke hadn't really made it a secret how Shisui's lightning impacted him. This was totally Shisui's fault. Mostly. Sasuke had kissed him first, but Shisui started it.

"You challenged me." Shisui seizes Sasuke's chin and looks down at his little cousin with glowing red eyes. "And I'm more than willing to take up a challenge."

"Glad to hear it because it's going to be quite the challenge with that tent in your pants." Great. He'd just pulled the tiger by the tail again. It was like he couldn't help himself or something. His self-control around Shisui was somewhere pitifully close to zero.

Shisui's eyes flash dangerously and he reaches a hand down to cup Sasuke's own not so little problem. He rubs and squeezes it very firmly. "And you think you don't have a problem of your own?"

"The two aren't mutually exclusive." Sasuke tries his best to bite back a moan.

As much as Shisui wanted to fuck Sasuke into the training room floor, neither of them had come prepared for that. He squeezes Sasuke one more time and presses a searing kiss to those firm pink lips. "Hold on tight, Sasuke." He wraps his arm around Sasuke's back and pulls Sasuke to his chest as light flashes around them.

He smiles, reveling in the kiss. Sasuke almost didn't notice when the light surrounded him, but it was hard to miss the change in environment. "You teleported us?" Had he really been that distracted? How the hell had Shisui been able to concentrate enough to send them back home? That was at least a couple miles!

"Yes, I don't stock the office for this." Shisui pushes Sasuke backwards onto the soft, silvery gray covers of his bed and presses a biting kiss to Sasuke's pale, vulnerable neck.

Soft sighs of pleasure escape his lips as he tilts his head to the side. Sasuke's neck had always been one of his most sensitive spots. It was why he favored high collars. Shisui must have known that instinctively or was just a damn good guesser. "I would hope not. Otherwise you'd be setting a very poor example for your subordinates if you're too busy fucking to do your paperwork."

Shisui hums softly against Sasuke's throat. "Would you rather I be doing my paperwork instead of doing you?" He bites down on Sasuke's hidden collarbone and reaches down to flick open Sasuke's zipper and reach into his pants.

Sasuke moans. The feeling of Shisui's teeth against his skin sending a wave of white hot desire through his veins. They only burned hotter when Shisui reached for his arousal. "No, I wouldn't rather you be doing paperwork." His voice was little more than a growl and his vision tinted red.

"Good." Shisui grasps Sasuke's pants and boxers. In a flash of light, they vanish, only to thump softly into the laundry basket in the corner of the room. And though he was sorely tempted to put this brat on his knees and fuck him into next year, Shisui refrains. In an instant, Sasuke's shirt joins his pants. "Now tell me…" Shisui's tongue flicks across Sasuke's skin as he presses teasing lovebites down Sasuke's chest. "What you want me…" He flicks his tongue insistently over a tightened nipple. "To do to you."

"You're going to have to teach me how to do that trick." He feels himself grown from the exquisite feeling of Shisui's tongue on his skin. His words conjuring a thousand elicit images in Sasuke's mind as his touch stroked the fires of want even higher. "The whole vanishing clothes thing, that could definitely come in handy." Fuck that felt good. For a few blissful seconds, Sasuke revels in the sensual tease before shoving Shisui over and lightly pinning him to the bed. All the while raining soft kisses and playful bites along his ear, jawline, and neck.

"Just teleportation." Shisui's shirt vanishing, leaving his pale, tattooed skin bare for Sasuke's enjoyment. Black and red ink curl in spikes over his shoulders and halfway across his pectorals. Up his sides flare matching blooms of fire that disappear into the unknown canvas of his back. "Figured it out after teleporting out of my clothes a few times."

"Good to know." Sasuke's fingers trail over the intricate ink patterns with a quiet reverence. "I've never thought about tattoos much, but they look good on you." Then again, Sasuke doubted there was much that didn't. He smiles at the thought, leaving a trail of hot kisses along that ridiculously toned stomach. His hand drifting southward until it encompasses his prize. He glides his hand along Shisui's arousal at a slow, teasing pace.

Shisui's eyes flare a brilliant scarlet as his gaze turns on Sasuke. "I knew you were a wicked little cocktease." But it wouldn't matter. Sasuke would be getting extremely familiar with Shisui's cock once he had this brat on his back. "You're begging to be put on your knees."

Sasuke smirks, pulling Shisui into a heated kiss and using his teeth to tug on Shisui's lower lip as he breaks it. "You're half right. I'd call that foreplay, but you can call it being a cocktease if you like." He brushes their erections together in a slow tease. "As for putting me on my knees…you wish." It was pulling the tiger's tail again, but fuck it. You only lived once.

Shisui's loosened pants disappear in an instant as he hooks his leg around Sasuke's and forces the brat onto his stomach. "Sometimes wishes come true." He reaches around to seize Sasuke's throbbing erection and raises his other hand as a bottle appears in a small flash of light. His cock presses to Sasuke's backside in a promise of what was to come. "You know, I was going to try to be gentle." He pulls a hard, firm stroke along Sasuke's cock. "I really was, you rotten brat."

He groans, almost squirming. Sasuke was already rock hard. The demanding touch only serving to send his senses into overdrive even more. "You seem pretty worked up over a rotten brat. You know if that's what you're into I can fuck you like an animal."

"Keep mouthing off and you're due for another one." A loud smack rings through the air as Shisui pulls Sasuke up onto his knees and leaves a stinging slap against Sasuke's ass. Then he reaches for the bottle and spreads a warm, slippery lubricant over his fingers.

Sasuke bites back a sound that knew would be far too close to a yip for his liking. "Better make it good or you don't get to top again." He glances over his shoulder watching Shisui with ruby red eyes.

Shisui snorts, but his gaze softens slightly as he slowly inserts a single finger. "I wouldn't give you any less than my best." He slides it inside and presses down on Sasuke's inner walls.

Sasuke squirms, no longer looking over his shoulder. He didn't know how to describe feeling of Shisui touching him in that way. It wasn't painful. The closest word he could come up with was foreign. Still, he rocks back against Shisui trying to will his body to relax. It was only to be expected. He hadn't done it this way before. "Good. Hopefully your dick will be as good as your magic at getting me off."

"Who says that I won't be using both?" Shisui presses a kiss to the back of Sasuke's neck. He takes the chance to delve a little deeper with a second finger, this time driving lightning through his fingers and deep into Sasuke's flesh to touch all of his pleasure nerves.

The kiss was a nice distraction. Sasuke sighs in contentment until he finds himself moaning. The lightning was somehow everywhere. "Y-You are such a cheater!" He groans, lost in a sea of sensations.

Shisui moves his fingers, pumping them in and out in an effort to loosen Sasuke's muscles and open the tight passage for him. "No, I fight dirty, but you love it." Then he adds a third finger when Sasuke's muscles loosen up just enough. "So do you like my fingers, Sasuke? Do you like how they can press all of your best buttons?"

Sasuke's breath comes in soft pants. A light sheen of sweat appearing along his body as his senses are engulfed by the feeling of Shisui's touch and magic seducing him. That alluring voice surrounding him. He was still a smug bastard, though. "Maybe a little, but you haven't pushed all my buttons. You're still just being a cocktease."

With a soft chuckle, Shisui finishes stretching Sasuke and slowly removes his fingers. He presses a kiss to the base of Sasuke's spine, slowly working his way back up. "Maybe, but I always deliver on my promises, Sasuke." With every inching kiss, his hips draw closer to Sasuke's. Shisui stops his kisses at the base of Sasuke's neck as he winds his clean hand into Sasuke's hair to hold him down. The tip of his cock just presses to Sasuke's entrance, but goes no further. Slowly, he releases tiny pulses of lightning through Sasuke's body.

Quiet sighs of contentment escape Sasuke's lips. He'd never been kissed along his spine before, but it was an act of pure soothing sensuality for reasons he couldn't entirely comprehend. "You'd better. You'd be a lousy c-captain if you didn't keep your word." The word captain was drown out by a short gasps pleasure. Who knew lightning could be so sexy?

Shisui smirks against Sasuke's neck, then presses a hand to Sasuke's hips and drags his lover back as he presses slowly inside Sasuke's tight, almost unbearably hot body. It was clear to feel that Sasuke embodied his fire magic inside and out. Every word that fell from his lips was just as fiery as the power that burned inside of him.

Sasuke squirms underneath him. Shisui's cock was a lot bigger than his fingers. He'd never experienced this before. The feeling of having someone inside him. Of literally being joined together and especially not someone as...big as Shisui. So, he arches back against his lover encouragingly. "Move damn it."

"Soon." Shisui's grip tightens in Sasuke's hair as his fingers curl into a fist. The pressure around his cock was intense, even he needed a moment to ground himself. He kisses Sasuke's neck and bites down into the soft flesh and hard muscle without so much as breaking the skin. Then, his hips thrust forward and he buries himself deep inside of his new lover. He thrusts again, then again, setting a slow but bruising pace in time with small pulses of lightning that flare through Sasuke's nervous system.

He moans at the kiss as Shisui bites down. The feeling of Shisui's lips and teeth against his neck was pure ecstasy. Sasuke tries his best to match Shisui's pace. His magic flaring to life in a desire to meet his lover's. Tiny flames ignite upon his skin...fearing he might burn Shisui, the fire quickly shimmers into blue lightning. "Fuck! S-Shisui!"

Shisui thrusts harder as his power reaches for Sasuke's and mixes with it, pulling it all into a dangerously erotic dance. His own nerves flash with sparks of pleasure and his body shudders as each tiny bolt of Sasuke's lightning arcs through him. His chest presses to Sasuke's back, where sweat-slicked skin rubs and slides together. He releases Sasuke's neck for just a moment. "Cum for me, Sasuke." He reaches and closes his hand firmly around Sasuke's cock as his voice rumbles with the power racing deep inside him. "Now."

Sasuke could feel their magic touching just as their bodies were. No, they weren't just touching...they were intertwining. It was an adrenaline rush that leaves him gasping for breath as Shisui takes him into his hand. His body acts on instinct and he coats Shisui's hand with the evidence of their intimate encounter.

With a groan, Shisui bites down again and gives a few more pounding, pulsing thrusts before spending himself. He closes his eyes and smiles, slowly rolling them over to spoon Sasuke. "You're a marvel, Sasuke. A bratty marvel, but a marvel nonetheless." Never before had he been able to bond his magic so completely with a lover. The connection alone had been…orgasmic.

He pants trying to catch his breath. It was a intoxicating feeling to have someone else's magic still racing along with his own internally. Even more so when he was still in the throes of his own afterglow. "So are you. A cheating marvel, but a marvel nonetheless."

So his little lover was going to be cheeky, huh? Shisui brings a hand down to smack Sasuke's well-fucked ass. "I do not cheat, I just fight dirty. We set no rules, and so there were none to break."

"Owe!" Sasuke glowers at Shisui for the smack. "That's such a technicality and you know it."

Shisui chuckles. "Oh I know. But I'm still right." He kisses the back of Sasuke's neck and nuzzles contentedly into the soft raven hair. "Now quiet down, I'm a cuddlebug."

He was about to tell Shisui exactly where he could shove his 'quieting down' advice when the sneaky bastard kisses his neck. Damn it. That was so cheating. Shisui knew that was his spot. Still, Sasuke manages to snort. "Cuddlebug? Hn, I guess I know what your stance on pet names is." Sasuke rolls his eyes playfully, but settles into the bed.

Soft laughter rumbles quietly in Shisui's chest as he pulls Sasuke close and finally slips out, unjoining them from one another. "You'll get used to it, Sasuke. Just wait and see…"


	5. Chapter 5

When Lightning Strikes

**Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy this chapter.

The testing had been extensive and grueling, but it was finally over. It was a good thing he had texted Itachi before it started, or else Sasuke was sure his brother would have stormed the castle by now.

He chuckles at that thought as he prepares to fire off a text. Sasuke pauses for only a few seconds debating on what exactly to tell his brother. It probably wasn't a good idea to point out that Shisui had been the protector so to speak for his physical combat assessment or how thoroughly his newest lover had investigated his other assets.

**Sorry to keep you waiting. They had me do all sorts of tests to establish the baseline of my abilities: academic, psychological, magical, combat abilities, and the works. Don't worry. I'm fine. ~ Sasuke**

The response only takes a few moments, as if Itachi had his phone's volume turned up and didn't care who might hear it. Then came the inevitable barrage of worried older brother questions.

**And? How did the testing go? Are you injured? Have you been eating properly? Are you sick? Has Shisui been taking care of you properly? ~ Itachi**

Sasuke snorts and rolls his eyes with fond exasperation. Some things would never change. Itachi was the most devoted mother hen in the history of mother hens.

**The tests went well. Apparently, I'm a genius. They could have just looked at my old report cards to figure that much out. They seemed pretty impressed with my magic and combat capabilities. I'm not sick or injured. Yes, I'm eating well. Shisui is a great cook and he's promised to teach me more kinds of magic. ~ Sasuke**

**I see, that's good. I'm sure that Shisui didn't mean to imply that you needed testing to figure that out. The government just loves its paperwork. He's also an excellent magic teacher. I remember how enthusiastic he was whenever he'd managed to master a new ability. It was adorable. What are you going to be learning first? ~ Itachi**

Well, Shisui had mentioned wax play. Though Sasuke doubted that's what Itachi meant. Besides, the captain had been up to his neck in paperwork. He'd taken quite a bit of time off to find Sasuke and oversee his assessment. Shisui was a busy worker bee at the moment and Sasuke hadn't wanted to bother him. He still didn't know what their training session actually meant, but Shisui had cuddled him. So, it didn't feel like a one night stand and...fuck, he'd just wasted five minutes thinking about Shisui.

**Yeah. The government does love its paperwork. I'm pretty sure he'll start off with teleportation or hope he does anyway. Seems like a handy one to have. ~ Sasuke**

**Yes, I think that it would be quite useful for you to have a skill that can get you out of dangerous situations if you ever end up in one. Are you alright? You seem distracted. ~ Itachi**

**Yeah. I'm fine. For some reason, the phone didn't beep. It's amazing how many abilities he has. ~ Sasuke**

It was a lie, but a small white lie. Itachi was like a bloodhound when it came to figuring stuff out. He really would have made a great detective, but his academic pacifism was likely a blessing in disguise. His brother's powers were best used in the pursuit of innocent knowledge rather than interrogation. Sasuke should know, he'd never been able to keep a secret from Itachi. Not even when they were kids and he 'borrowed' Itachi's favorite stuffed animal and 'forgot' to give it back.

**I see. You're right, Shisui is an exceptional talent, even within our extended family. It was a blow to us when he disappeared. At least now I can be at peace knowing that, even if he's in almost the last place I'd like for him to be, he's alive and doing well for himself. ~ Itachi**

**Yeah. He is and Shisui's pretty happy here. He's got a lot of pride in his team and seems to enjoy the intellectual challenge of it. He missed you, Itachi. He doesn't stop bragging about you. ~ Sasuke**

It was all true of course. Sasuke just wasn't going to mention those talents extended to the bedroom.

In a way most unlike Itachi, the next text is somewhat delayed.

**And I missed him. I still do. I miss you both. I wish that I could scoop the both of you up and hide you away somewhere no one would find you. I want you to be happy Sasuke. I just wish that happiness was safer for you. ~ Itachi**

**I know you do, Itachi. I'm okay, though. Really. Better than okay, actually. I don't have to hide here. Oh, Cuddlebug is back. Do you want to talk to him? ~ Sasuke**

Itachi's groan is tangible, even from so far away.

**I take it that Shisui is up to his old tricks again. I remember when we were in high school, he wanted four hugs and two cuddles every single day. And to make sure that no one got jealous, Shisui always picked the same, emotionally unavailable target. Me. ~ Itachi**

**Now, I understand why he gave himself that nickname. Yeah. Something like that. ~ Sasuke**

It was safer not to go into details. He'd been idiot to mention the pet name, but mercifully it seemed like Shisui hadn't changed all that much since high school in some ways. The only difference was now his 'cuddle victim' wasn't Sasuke's asexual brother.

"Hey Sasuke." Shisui walks into the living room, his hair damp from the shower he'd taken after finishing yet another peak in his mountain of work. "Are you texting Itachi?"

"Yeah. He's already done the standard health and well-being interrogation." Sasuke chuckles trying not to stare at a still semi wet Shisui. "Do you wanna talk to him?"

"Hm…" Shisui tilts his head consideringly. "You know, I think I will." He plucks the phone from Sasuke's hands and types a number of words on it, waits for the reply, then smirks and hands it back to Sasuke. "Alright, I think Itachi should probably get back to his classes now, he's got another one in ten minutes."

Sasuke blinks at the smirk. His eyes curiously roaming over the screen to see what the hell Shisui had messaged that made him look so smug.

**I'm missing our snuggle time too, Sweetheart. Don't worry, though, I'm sure your little brother will keep me nice and warm. If you want your primary snuggler position back, you're always welcome to come visit. ;) - Shi**

**Fuck off, Shi. - Itachi**

"I don't know what's more shocking. That you actually said that to him or you made ITACHI swear." Sasuke had never once heard his brother utter anything less than squeaky clean, elegant language or even type anything that didn't sparkle with purity. Sure, he was a master of mindfucks, but Itachi never cursed. "And really, you're calling Itachi sweetheart?"

Shisui snickers and ruffles Sasuke's hair. "That's because I still know all of the right buttons to push. Itachi has never been able to resist it when I bait him, no matter how hard he tries."

"Must be the mindreading magic at work. I've never known anyone who can wind Itachi up like that. You deserve some kind of medal." He rolls his eyes at the hair ruffling, but doesn't protest. "If I didn't know better, I'd probably be jealous."

"Jealous huh?" Shisui raises an eyebrow, even as his smirk stays firmly in place. He leans down over the back of the couch and presses a kiss to Sasuke's lips. "Then it's a good thing you know better."

"Well, between the petnames and primary snuggler thing, yeah." Sasuke returns the kiss, his eyes never leaving Shisui's. They'd kissed again and in a smug way, his lover had just offered some reassurance he didn't need to be jealous. It was a start. "So did you finally manage to kick the paperwork monster's ass?"

"I've managed to get a start on it, yes. But I still have missions and operations to plan out for the next half year. The first two weeks of the seventh and twelfth months are always spent planning for the next half year, as well as for any missions that might take more than six months to complete." It was one of Shisui's most loved and hated times of the year. Loved, because it meant that he could put his mind to the test and figure out the most creative solutions to problems. Hated because if he wasn't careful, the burnout was catastrophic. "As long as you don't start seeing smoke rising from my head, I'll be fine."

"You really are as big a geek as Itachi is deep down." Sasuke rises from the couch and closes the distance between them, taking Shisui's hand into his own. "Just listening to that almost gave me a headache." He leads his lover back to the couch and nudges him back onto it. Seating himself firmly in the other man's lap before he had a chance to protest and wrapping his arms around Shisui's neck with a fluid, feline-like grace. "So far, so good though." Sasuke nips on the shell of Shisui's ear. "I don't see any smoke yet and I should I know. Where's there's smoke, there's fire."

Shisui's hands trail up Sasuke's thighs and settle on his narrow hips. "Yes, I bet you're very acquainted with fire." With a gentle hum of pleasure, Shisui tilts his head to facilitate Sasuke's affections. "I'm sure that I'll get you just as acquainted with lightning, though."

He licks Shisui's ear, one of his hands sliding underneath his bathrobe. "I am very familiar with fire, but they say lightning never strikes twice." Acting on instinct, he leaves a path of kisses along Shisui's jaw. His hand gliding over the spectacularly well-sculpted skin underneath his fingertips. "I hope they're wrong about that."

A flash of light crackles through Shisui's eyes and he squeezes Sasuke's hips. Lightning flares from his fingertips and he turns his gaze squarely onto his sexy, mischievous lover. "You can call the lightning to you whenever you want, Sasuke."

**Warning Lemon**

Sasuke smiles, brushing his lips against Shisui's in a soft kiss. "That wasn't the only kind of lightning I was talking about." He smirks, toying with the sash of his lover's bathrobe. Slowly, but surely pulling the satin fabric away from him. Exposing Shisui's midriff and even more...fascinating parts of his anatomy.

Shisui's lips turn up in a wicked grin and his eyes flare with a rich scarlet. "Are you hoping for a ride on your favourite kind of lightning?" His arousal twitches quite eagerly to life under Sasuke's gentle and seductive touch.

He pushes the sleeves of Shisui's bathrobe down and leans closer until his lips practically kiss Shisui's ear. "Maybe. It has been a pretty long three days." His hand falls away from Shisui's chest until it lands on his ever growing arousal. It definitely looked like lightning could strike twice, after all.

"Have you been waiting to jump me all this time?" Shisui pulls his hands from the sleeves and sits up, entirely naked and holding Sasuke pressed close against his body. "I told you that having someone who wants to look after you is a magical experience. It's something that's hard to get enough of." He presses a kiss to Sasuke's neck, then to his jaw, then his lips.

"Not the whole time. I debated about it for awhile but yeah I was thinking about you." A lot. More than he really wanted to admit to. A soft sigh escapes him as Shisui begins kissing him. "That feels good."

Shisui smirks as he presses another kiss to Sasuke's throat. Then, with a mere touch, Sasuke's clothes drop into a pile beside them on the floor. "You're so eager that I feel like I should make you wear a toy off duty so that you'll always be ready for me."

"You magicked my clothes off instantly. I doubt I'm the only one who is eager." Sasuke groans in pleasure at the feeling of Shisui's kisses against his throat. He still didn't know why that spot drove him as crazy as it did.

"True, but…" Shisui reaches under the arm of the couch and retrieves a bottle. After all, now that Sasuke wanted him, he planned on fucking Sasuke everywhere in the apartment. So he'd prepared accordingly. "You wouldn't have to wait so long if I didn't have to stretch you every time." He coats his fingers in soft, slippery lubricant and presses his fingers to that gorgeous ass he adored.

Sasuke blinks. Shisui had planned this. "You're cocky. Stashing that in the couch?" He was about to tease his lover further when he feels Shisui's fingers slip inside him. "And s-sneaky."

Shisui chuckles and wiggles two of his fingers inside Sasuke. "I've stashed bottles all over the apartment over the last three days. It's what I did with those 'breaks' I took from the paperwork mountain."

"That's romantic in a nymphomaniac kinda way." Sasuke rocks his hips, knowing that would make it easier to get used to Shisui's fingers again. Feeling rather pleased that his lover had been thinking about him too, he captures a pert nipple in his mouth and sucks hard.

For a moment, Shisui forgets about his fingers and tilts his head back with a pleasured groan. "Sasuke…" He growls a soft warning in his lover's name. Sasuke was already sexy enough to make it unbearable without pulling cute little tricks like that. His fingers move again, pumping hard and deep into Sasuke's core. His hips flex in anticipation.

Sasuke releases the nipple with a strangled groan. "Ah fuck! I like it when you growl." And he'd apparently found Shisui's spot judging by how fast his lover's fingers were moving. Oh yeah. He was definitely going to exploit that knowledge later.

"Good." Shisui's impatience gets the better of him as he removes his fingers and lifts Sasuke up, only to bring him back down to meet the eager thrust of his hips as he sheathes himself inside of his fiery lover.

Sasuke arches his back as Shisui suddenly penetrates him. "Ngh. You're…definitely wound up." Sasuke's dark irises morph into ruby red ones as he slides his hands slowly over Shisui's chest. "Must be all that paperwork and lack of fucking. Let me help you with that." He doesn't summon flames, but a whisper of the fire's power. Just enough to heat up his hands. Slowly bestowing a heated massage along every delicious piece of bare skin he could find. He couldn't resist toying with Shisui's nipples either.

"Oh you brat…" Shisui groans as he thrusts his hips up almost viciously. His fingers tremble where they lay grasping Sasuke's hips. The sensitive buds swell slightly and the tiny peaks throb under the heat of Sasuke's hands. The heat made every inch of his skin feel tight and inflamed, wonderfully sensitive but not quite painful.

"Mmm you're the one that introduced magic into sex. You played with fire." Shit! He couldn't help, but moan as Shisui slams into him. Yeah. He'd found his lover's spot alright. Sasuke smirks, gliding his warm hands everywhere...especially over Shisui's inner thighs.

The heated touches light a fire inside of Shisui. Every one of his nerves was alight with desire. Shisui's pants become faster deeper as he almost struggles for breath amidst the sparks of orgasmic pleasure. His mind darkens, retreating into the most primal of stages, little more than a creature of passion as he pulls his lover down for a kiss and thrusts furiously into the wondrous man above him.

Sasuke returns the kiss, his moans half muffled by the gesture. He could feel Shisui everywhere. In the deepest parts of him. His lover's pace was becoming wild, hot, and possessive. It was almost like he was being branded. Fuck he was going to cum soon.

Shisui rolls them over and onto the carpeted floor. His hip move and his hands pull Sasuke so tightly against him that there is no room to blow a breath between their skin. He gazes into the hazy ruby irises, his own flashing scarlet, and he breathes a ghost of a kiss over Sasuke's lips. "…Now."

The sensation of being rolled onto the floor, those eyes, and the command in Shisui's voice was too much to resist. Sasuke could feel the magic whirling around them. It was like a tidal wave of pleasure smacking into him. "S-Shisui!"

Shisui's hips slowly come to a stop as the knot of pleasure within him releases. He raises a hand to brush sweat-soaked bangs from Sasuke's face. Warm breath passes his lips and he presses a kiss to Sasuke's lips. "You're so beautiful, Sasuke…"

Sasuke kisses back, trying to catch his breath. "So are you." He tilts his head as he traces his fingertips over Shisui's bicep. "Did you really put them all over the apartment?"

"…Yeah, all over. There's twenty bottles." Shisui's flagging erection twitches with anticipation. "I thought that you might want to enjoy some variety."

He blinks. That was a lot of bottles. Still, Sasuke couldn't help but smile. Shisui wouldn't have got that many if he didn't want something long-term. "You're definitely a nymphomaniac of a cuddlebug, but I like it."

"I bet you do." Shisui chuckles and rolls onto his side. He pulls Sasuke into his arms and smiles into his lover's collarbone. "After all, you're the one who seduced me only minutes after I got out of the shower."

"You're the one who jumped me during training and I waited three days." Sasuke feels his face heat up at Shisui's assessment. He'd been very patient really. That was three days. Seventy-two hours and ah fuck it, he wasn't even going to bother to do the minutes and seconds. It had felt like an eternity, though.

"So then you need fucking daily, I understand." Shisui flexes his hips and slowly starts to move again. "If you like, I can take you on a tour of the house."

He moans at lewd declaration and the movement. "Not usually. I like sex, but it's never been this intense before." He'd always enjoyed it, but sleeping with Shisui was an all consuming experience. The house could burn down around them and Sasuke doubted he'd even notice. "A tour sounds good, though. Really good." His voice comes out as a breathless moan. Damn. Shisui's stamina was impressive.

**End of Lemon**

Shisui moves again with a sly smile. Teleportation would come in rather handy right about now. "Come on, let's go to bed." He presses a warm, gentle kiss under Sasuke's jaw.

"Mmm. Yeah. Bed. That means you'll either have to stop or teleport us, though." Sasuke kisses Shisui's forehead and smiles. "Think you can manage the latter?"

"Hn." Shisui smirks and lights flash all around them. "Yeah, I think I can manage that." He could manage a lot of interesting things if he really wanted to. "Hold on tight."

* * *

The purple toe of a softly heeled shoe kicks a few stray locks of auburn hair across the floor. "So, did you hear that Shisui's brought us a new teammate to train and annoy?" Carefully manicured hands with clear pink polish run through short brown hair as it grows inch by inch to cascade from between her fingers.

* * *

"Yes, I heard. Shikamaru showed me his assessment results." Neji glances at Ino. She was at it again, transforming his appearance from the reddish brown hair and jade eyes he'd been sporting for three months. Not that he could entirely complain. It did make doing their undercover work so much easier. "They're...impressive. I imagine they're comparable to what Shisui's would have been if our captain hadn't explored his powers thoroughly from a young age. Minus the fiery temper. I suspect that's because his primary ended up being fire and Shisui is more...precise because his primary is lightning." It was interesting to speculate on the nature of such things. In Neji's opinion, those who manifested elemental abilities first did tend to mirror their element closely. His for example was water...though he favored the more specialized form of ice.

"Yes, I heard that he's a hothead. It'll be interesting to finally meet him when Shikamaru and Shisui are done keeping him all for themselves." Ino smirks and takes a brush to Neji's soft, dark brown locks as her power works through the strands. "So, how did your mission go? I know that you got four of the smugglers caught, but what about the last two?"

"Why do I feel as though you're hoping for a boyfriend more than anything else?" Neji shakes his head in exasperation, but a small fond smile makes it way across his face nonetheless. "Our objectives were met. In that regard, it was a success. Two escaped, but we're hoping to track them down soon. We have a few leads. Sai from the ROOT division is tracking them."

"That one from ROOT, huh…?" Ino frowns and her brow furrows. "That division gives me a bad feeling…" There was so much secrecy around that division. And they were called in whenever…ordinary force and subterfuge didn't cut it. "But I'm glad that you're back safe and sound."

"I cannot lie. They do make me feel uneasy as well, but ROOT also gets results." He tries to shrug it off, ignoring the slight chill that came whenever their name was mentioned. The bad kind of chill...not the kind he loved to create with his own magic. "I'm glad I'm safe as well, but you can admit it. You only 'love' me for my hair."

Ino laughs brightly and twirls the brown locks around her fingers. "I do love your hair, Neji. But you know, if I kept your hair every time it's up to me to work my magic, I think I'd have enough to make a dozen gorgeous wigs by now. As it is, I've unfortunately only made four. I'm really slipping on my game."

"I'm certain you'll make up for it sooner or later." Some things would never change. Ino did love her job. "In any case, I imagine they'll be here soon."

"I doubt it. Shikamaru said that Shisui teleported away with Sasuke three hours ago. Who knows what they're getting up to." Ino knew well that when Shisui used his teleportation, it was important.

Neji blinks. Three hours ago? That was far longer than was necessary for any exam. "I hope they're alright."

"Oh, I think they will be, after all they'd just had Sasuke's sparring test. If either of them were injured, then they would have come to get medical treatment." Ino was sure they'd be alright. "Maybe Shisui just took Sasuke home with him to relax a little."

"Ah right. The file did say that Sasuke was moving in with Shisui. They're cousins or something like that." Neji didn't question it. He knew all about coming from a large family. His family tree was more of a family rainforest.

Ino rakes her fingers through Neji's hair one last time to lengthen the locks to rest just past Neji's waist. "I saw a picture of him, you know. He's absolutely gorgeous, just like you and Shisui. But there's a fire in his eyes that's…special." Ino hadn't seen anything like it before. Shisui's gaze was as sharp as the wind and as powerful as a bolt of lightning. Neji's as piercing as ice. Shikamaru's as lazy as the clouds, but with a gleam in it that no one should underestimate. And in hers? Deceptively bright light and kindness, belying the danger that her powers and training posed.

"I imagine he's special. Shisui recruited him personally. Even if they are related, he wouldn't place him in this division if he wasn't capable." Neji sends Ino a reassuring smile. It seemed the cheerful blonde had already accepted Sasuke as one of their own without even meeting him. It was...heartwarming in a way. "I'll have to see for myself about this fire in his eyes that you speak of."

"That's true. I can't wait until he's given his first assignment. I love having a fresh canvas." Ino could already feel that spiky hair between her fingers. She could turn it any color, make his eyes change to match. "I wonder what he'll ask me to do first? You know, you still haven't let me turn your hair silver-gold and your eyes violet yet."

"That's because such a disguise would stick out far too much." He also wasn't sure where she had ever dreamed up such a color combination, but that was besides the point. "Sasuke may be more agreeable to your more...unique suggestions."

"Oh I hope he is. But one of these days you might want to stand out, Neji. Its when we're bringing them in that we're supposed to be plain and discreet." Ino's clear sky blue eyes trail almost suggestively over Neji's body. "Not that you count as plain." She presses her hands over his eyes, and in an instant she removes them to wipe the green pigment from them and return them to the palest lilac that was very nearly white. "There, now you can be as vain as usual, Neji."

"He might be and I"m not vain." He scoffs at the notion. Where did she get these silly ideas in her head. "We're blessed that you became part of the team instead of lending your skills to film-makers." The woman could have been filthy rich if she really wanted.

"Well, film-makers wouldn't have gotten me what I want." Ino smiles, but this time it was strained. After all, what she wanted was her own revenge. For the best friend she'd lost years ago. "Here, I can do the work I want to. Here, I can make a difference."

"Yes, you can and you do everyday. Your interesting taste in color combinations aside." A teasing glint glimmers within those pale irises. It was rare that he would act in such a casual manner. Ino did bring it out in people, though.

"My color choices are fantastic, thank you very much." Ino grins and rakes her hands once through Neji's hair to set it back into its usual place. "Now get out of here, you have a report to write."

"If you say so and yes, I do." Neji shakes his head with fond exasperation. The sooner he got started, the sooner it'd be over with. Paperwork was an occupational hazard.


	6. Chapter 6

When Lighting Strikes

**Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 6

Soft white and blue lights glow brightly along the corridor to the division's main operating office. In the corridor, two young men walk side by side. "Are you sure that you're ready for this, Sasuke?" Shisui smirks slyly as he places a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "You've already met Shikamaru, but Neji and Ino are completely different breeds." His gaze rakes over Sasuke's body. "Ino is going to love getting her hands on you."

"It's fine. We're going to be teammates. I have to meet them sooner or later. Shikamaru's okay. So the others can't be that bad." Sasuke shakes his head. He felt a bit like a new kid on their first day of school being escorted to a pep rally by the Prom King and quarterback all thrown into one in the form of Shisui Uchiha. In other words, he was out of his element. "If they were you wouldn't be working with them. So, I can play nicely with the other kids, but I hope Ino doesn't get her hopes up. I'm not into women." Sure, he'd been popular in school, but he'd never really given a fuck. He was an introvert at heart. Not because he was shy, but because he was more a quality over quantity person.

Shisui snickers and shakes his head. "I'm not worried about Ino wanting to sleep with you. But she's going to get her hands on you sooner or later. She's going to have to before your first assignment. She's our…disguise specialist, in a manner of speaking. And she loves nothing more than getting her hands on 'gorgeous guys.'"

Sasuke couldn't help, but smirk. "It's nice when your teammates share your interests. Only, I guess you're more hands on than she is in certain ways." He walks with Shisui and sways his hips a bit. He hadn't spotted any of the others yet. It was still safe. Sasuke wasn't sure where Shisui stood on the whole PDA thing. Sure, he was cuddly, but that was different than announcing you were romantically involved with one of your coworkers. "Don't worry, I'll indulge her as long as she doesn't do something crazy like put glitter in my hair."

"She won't put glitter in your hair unless you specifically request it, but she delights in turning me blond." Shisui runs a hand through his curly black hair. Then he glances at the dark spikes atop Sasuke's head. "I wonder what she'll try to convince you to let her do first."

Sasuke makes a face. "I can't picture you as a blond." It bordered on blasphemy. "Good to know about the glitter, though. Anything else I should be aware of before I walk into the lion's den?"

"Just that I make an awesome blond." Shisui chuckles and removes his hand to press his hand to the scan pad next to the office door. It slides open and he steps into the spacious room ringed by a long circular installation fitted with display panels. He waves his hand and every console in the room hums to life and starts to display some of their most recent projects, as well as eliminations and additions to the Red and Gold lists. Shisui steps into the center of the room where another ring of consoles sits. A single wave of his hand brings up magical holographic screens produced by his technokinesis. "Welcome to the head office of the Magitek Division, the Ravens Nest."

Sasuke looks around in wonder and a little terror. So, this is what Itachi had been worried about. The extensive nature of the information-gathering was impressive and daunting at once. "Well, you've definitely got a lot of toys to play with."

Shikamaru yawns and stretches out in his hanging teardrop chair. "If you think this is obsessive, you should see my private office. It's a drag, but to do what we do means we've gotta have eyes and ears everywhere."

"That's right, we excel at keeping eyes on everything." Shisui waves his hand and one screen changes, playing back a recording of Sasuke himself at his dojo, surrounded by twelve year-olds.

Sasuke looks at the footage of him at his dojo. "I should have expected as much." It was eerie, though. Just how closely had they been watching him before Shisui recruited him?

"Shisui!" A blonde ponytail appears out of nowhere and whips through the air as a tall, slender woman lands lightly on Shisui's back with her arms around his neck. "And here I thought you'd abandoned us. You were gone almost a month this time."

"I know, I know. But I had to get my cousin here. You know that." Shisui laughs and swats at Ino playfully.

It didn't take long for his attention to be diverted away from the screen. A bubbly blonde had her hands all over Shisui and Shisui was encouraging her. His eyes flicker red briefly, but he squashes it down. He was being ridiculous. Miss Bubbles was obviously another member of their team and Shisui was a self-proclaimed 'Cuddlebug.' It was nothing.

Nonetheless, Sasuke crosses his arms as he looks her over. He was as straight as a damn circle, but even he could see she was pretty. It also didn't take a genius to figure out which member of the team she was. As far as he knew, Ino was the only female member of their division. "Sorry about the wait, but Shisui was being a bit OCD about getting me settled in. He's a very...hands on teacher."

"That's our Shisui." Ino grins widely at their new recruit. "If he wants to teach us something, he'll sit down with us or pull us into the training rooms with him. There's no escaping until we've at least got the basics of it down. It's part of why he's the best division head."

Shisui chuckles softly. "I do try my best to make sure that no one goes out there unprepared."

"Yeah. I guess so. He's very...persistent and always prepared." Sasuke hides a smirk as best he could. Twenty bottles of strategically positioned lube prepared.

Heat flashes in Shisui's eyes as he picks up on Sasuke's not so secret thoughts. Honestly his cousin really should know better than to think those sorts of things at the office. "I'll agree with that. And I promise that my next bit of persistence will be teaching you how to shield your mind from me and quiet your thoughts down so every telepath within five miles can't hear them."

"You've got to be kidding me. Is everyone constantly mind-reading here?" Sasuke fights back a blush, huffing as he looks anywhere but at his new teammates.

"Not constantly and don't worry, the skill is rare." Neji glides over, placing his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. He was a private person by nature and the division's insistence on making use of telepathy had been rather jarring when he had first joined. It still was at certain junctures, but his control was exceptional enough it rarely caused an issue for him. "In any case, I'm Neji Hyuga and it is pleasure to meet you."

"Neji specializes in more covert, espionage-type missions where he can gather information at a distance." Shisui knew the strengths and weaknesses of every member of his team by heart. "He's good at fading out of sight and sneaking around, as opposed to Ino or I who tend to 'make friends' wherever we go and collect information through the rumours passed around our networks."

"Hey, if you've got skills, use them." Ino winks slyly. "This is a job where EVERY asset you have is important. Weaponize everything. Even if it's something cute."

"Good to know. Well, it's nice to meet you." Sasuke nods. He might never live down this meeting depending on who heard what in this group of mind readers, but it was the proper thing to say. "So is this everyone?"

"This is the main team that we have activated at all times." Shisui didn't want their division to grow too large, or they might risk security leaks. "But we have quite a few sleeper agents that we can call in at the drop of a hat if we need them. And we work collaboratively with a couple other divisions, as well as local law enforcement, depending on the level of risk in a case."

Shikamaru yawns and nods. It was all standard protocol at this point. "Shisui prefers a small, tight knit unit. For example, Ino could tell you everything about all of us down to our shoe sizes."

"And other sizes." Ino winks slyly at Sasuke as she slips down off of Shisui's back. "Besides, with the five of us here, we've got enough people to be running three operations at once. We don't usually take care of the small problems, and there's only so many big problems out there that we can take our time and do things right."

"Ino's right." Shisui places his hand on the console nearest him and brings up a list of a dozen or so belligerent organizations. "If we can bring down all of these groups in the next five years, we'll be ahead of our projected schedule. If we can handle more, then we might just set a record for being the most efficient team ever placed in this division."

Sasuke blinks at Ino's wink. Deciding he probably didn't want to know how she knew that, he glances at the console. He didn't recognize most of the organizations, but the ones he did...well, it was more than enough to realize they had their work cut out for them. "Good to know know about the workload. That's...ambitious."

"It is, but it's why I recruit only the most talented and capable individuals to my division. But most importantly…" Shisui gazes at Sasuke with a hard, steely look in his eye. "I only recruit the people I can trust. What we do isn't easy by any stretch and there are divisions that would make our jobs a lot harder for us if it meant sticking it to our kind. But we rise above that to do our jobs and do them well."

Sasuke somehow manages not to flinch at Shisui's look. It was so at odds with the carefree expression that his cousin usually wore. "Got it. So, I take it my first assignment isn't until after the mind reading lessons?"

"And a few other lessons, but I hope to have you in the field by next week on a simple assignment to get you used to how we do things." Shisui wasn't going to risk putting Sasuke on something too big for him to handle. "Once I put together an assessment of your strengths, I'll select a more difficult assignment that's suited to your tactics. I may even assign you to one of the ongoing missions, or I'll get Shikamaru off his ass to go with you. Understood?"

"What a drag. You're going to make me go out in the field?" Shikamaru stretches, looking half ready to fall asleep. "But fine. He's gotta learn sometime."

That was faster than Sasuke expected, but he nods. Well, it made sense. They'd been following him for awhile. Probably wanted him to burn down some of the more vicious organizations' headquarters or something. "Got it. When do we get started?"

"Oh, can I have him first!?" Ino grins widely, eager to get her hands on a new canvas. "I don't want to have to wait a week to get my hands on him, then have him try to squirm out of my chair when we're supposed to be prepping for a mission."

"I don't see why not." Shisui's lips quirk into a smirk. "You can show him how our disguise and concealment protocols work."

His teammate was acting like a puppy who had found a new chew toy. Sasuke didn't know whether to find that cute or disturbing. "Might as well. I'm probably going under cover fairly regularly. Besides, she can reverse it instantly, right?"

"Not instantly." Ino rolls her eyes. "I can do a full disguise in less than half an hour, but it's not like I wave a magic wand and it's done in seconds. It takes time and effort to make a disguise perfect. And you haven't even designed any yet, which means that we still need to do that before you can take on a first assignment."

Sasuke quirks an eyebrow. "Design? I'm supposed to tell you what I want my disguise to look like?" He hadn't really thought about that. Sasuke had assumed there would be requirements depending on the mission and Ino would just just go down the list until they were met.

Shisui nods. "Yes. We all create between three and five different profiles ranging from civilian to criminal to terrorist and customize different sorts of appearances to go with them. One, you might wear to a high society event where you're spying on the diplomats to find a traitor in their midst, while another you might wear to get in with thieves or drug dealers, and another might be for infiltrating a large gang or criminal organization. Every face you wear will be different and associated with a specific persona."

"I can try. I've never been good at the whole playing dress up thing." Sasuke shrugs. Maybe that wasn't the right phrase, but for some reason images of Itachi playing with dolls pops into his head. Their cousin, Izumi, had roped him into it time and time again when they were little. Sasuke had thought it was hilarious to watch Itachi play with dolls wearing that much pink. "I know, I know. It's important. We need ironclad personas that won't make anyone suspicious."

"Exactly." Shisui's lips twitch into a smirk. "Would it help if I stood there and held your hand?"

"Shisui, I don't need you to hold my hand to play dress up." Sasuke sends his best glower at his smirking lover. "I'm a big boy and can handle it. It's just not something I ever really thought about before."

"Well then you'd better start thinking about what you're going to name your first persona." Shisui strides towards Sasuke and presses a gentle hand to his shoulder. He hands Sasuke a small tablet. "Record all of your thoughts on this. Include a name, a petty, low-level criminal history, what you've been arrested for, and the details of the look that you and Ino create. It will be your first persona. Make it appropriate for hanging out with thieves, dealers, and small-scale gang members. Alright?"

"I think I can manage that." Sasuke couldn't help, but laugh a bit. Shisui was damn lucky Itachi wasn't here. His brother would absolutely lose it if he knew the sort of people their cousin wanted Sasuke to hang out with on missions. "This is probably going to involve some tattoos." Temporary ones, of course. Again, Itachi would go fucking ballistic.

Shisui chuckles nervously and runs his hand through his messy curls sheepishly. "It's probably best that you leave those for later, Sasuke. They're not quite as temporary as you think they are." True, he had more than a few of his own, but he remembered sitting through the process of getting every single one of them.

"He's right, let's play with everything else first, then we can talk tattoos." Ino sways her hips mischievously and takes Sasuke by the hand. "Come on, I have a studio down the hall with all of my equipment in it."

"Well, if they come off...they're temporary, but alright. You said gangs, though and gang members have tattoos." Sasuke shrugs before following Ino. She was either really excited about showing off her disguise skills, didn't realize he was gay, or both. Whatever. Shisui trusted her and they were teammates now. He'd indulge her giddiness to a degree. Just as long as she didn't suggest anything too weird.

Ino cheerfully tugs Sasuke down the hallway and around a corner to a clear glass door. She waves a hand over the scan pad and the door slides open with an obedient click. She steps into the shelf-ringed room filled with displays of products, a chair and sink against the far wall, a nail care station, and a single chair set into the dark floor in the middle of the room. "Welcome to my design studio. In here, I can turn you into anyone."

"It's nice." He sits down in the chair. Sasuke hadn't expected to find what amounted to a mini salon inside their division, but he probably should have. Ino specialized in disguises. "So, what did you have in mind exactly?"

"Let's see…" Ino pulls out a drawer full of tools and presses a button to tint the windows to make it impossible to see inside, even if someone flew a plane right outside their building. "I'm going to guess that all this…" She gestures to the messy spikes of hair sticking out the back of Sasuke's head. "Is something of a signature look for you?"

"It just grows that way naturally. I never saw a reason to change it." He watches as the windows tint in awe. The technology in this place was unbelievable, but he wasn't sure how to respond to the signature look thing. That implied it was something he went out of his way to maintain. Sure, he made himself look presentable, but it wasn't like he was Itachi who was...OCD about his hair. "Is that a problem...?"

"In the office, no. But this sort of style is extremely distinctive. And all it takes is for the wrong person to remember what the back of your head looks like, and you could get found out." Ino runs her hands through the soft, spiky hair, humming to herself. "Let's see…" Her hands glow dimly and grow warm. "How do you feel about wavy hair?"

Sasuke could feel the heat from her hands. His magic begins to react instinctively. A warm, gentle humming underneath his skin. "Straighter might be better. Sticks out less than wavy." That, and he had a hard time picturing himself with wavy hair. Sasuke would if he had to, though. It wasn't like it couldn't be reversed.

"Straight then. In that case, maybe a dark brown and a hazel iris. Unless you want to let me give you platinum blond hair and violet eyes." Ino grins brightly. "I've been wanting to try that for ages!"

"Dark brown and hazel is fine." Sasuke's hair was naturally black. Dark brown wasn't all that different and hazel seemed normal enough.

Ino sighs dramatically. "Fine, I suppose I'll just have to get Shisui to let me do it." He'd definitely let her do it. "Alright, do you have a name for your new look? We're going to have to take a picture of you before reversing it so that we can put the profile together. So now is the time to do the tweaking and adjusting." Her fingers massage his scalp as the strands begin to grow between her fingers, straighter, softer, a bit thinner so they lay a little flatter against his head.

"Ryo Minamoto should work." Sasuke looks up at Ino curiously. He'd never seen magic like this before and curiosity was getting the better of him. "Ryo means dragon. So, it's a conversation starter. You can snap a picture whenever." It was a strange sensation. Pleasant, but bizarre. Sasuke could feel his hair was changing somehow.

The massage continues and Ino watches carefully as the browning strands push the raven locks away from Sasuke's head. Then she takes a brush and runs it through Sasuke's hair as it grows inch by inch down past his shoulders. "Ryo, huh? I think I could see that. But I'm going to warn you now that if you decide to get a dragon tattoo, I won't be able to cover that up. I can heal over tattoos and fade out pigments but it works better on smaller tattoos, since too much of that treatment can stress out the DNA strands in your skin cells which ages and damages your skin. That's why Shisui still has so many tattoos. I mainly focus on fading out gang-affiliation tattoos since those are the ones that could really blow someone's cover."

"Alright. No dragon tattoos. It would have been a little too on the nose anyway." Sasuke sighs in contentment. Ino's touch felt pretty nice. It was also good to know the tattoo thing ahead of time. So, that's what Shisui had meant. Speaking of Shisui, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder how he'd feel about his new look. Though that made him sound like some high school kid with their first serious boyfriend.

When the still black pieces of Sasuke's hair fall past his collarbones, Ino brushes his hair back and gathers it into a ponytail at the back of his head. She picks up her silver scissors and twists Sasuke's hair to tighten it a bit. "But you were right earlier, a lot of the people we deal with are into body modification and might try to coax you into getting something done, so if there's anything you want now, all you have to do is ask. I'm trained in piercing and tattooing." The blades bite into the soft strands and sever the ponytail close to the base of his neck.

"I'll have to think about it. Most likely, I'll just go with gang tattoos for the mission. Maybe one or two 'optional' ones to blend in better." Sasuke just wasn't sure what those would be. Whatever he ended up choosing needed to be 'believable.' Butterflies and roses might work for Ino, but few petty criminals were going to take him seriously if he sported something that 'cute.' "Not sure about piercings. Probably earrings and maybe a nose ring." What did gang members get these days anyway?

"Hm…I think I know a few things that might suit you. But we're definitely going with studs, no hoops." Ino brushes Sasuke's hair over the right side of his face to even it out just above his shoulders and add the layers and textures that she would often spend days obsessing over. "Once you find out what your first assignment is, you'll probably have a better idea of what it might take to blend in. But if you pick anything for yourself that you think you'll end up keeping, then make sure that you pick it for you. A lot of people will overlook exactly what a tattoo is as long as there's ink there. Shisui's tattoos aren't standard gang tattoos but they all mean a lot to him, so he wears them with pride and no one asks questions."

"Yeah. I was thinking studs." Sasuke shakes his head a bit at the thought of hoops. Those were too flashy for his tastes. They'd make him stick out in an undercover mission. "I've seen Shisui's tattoos. No one's going to question them because they look fantastic on him, but I'll keep that in mind. You sound almost as excited about tattoos as you do about making someone blond with violet eyes." Maybe he shouldn't have been surprised. Ino struck him as a creative type at her core. Some kind of artist. Only people were her canvases instead of paper.

"I love getting people to express themselves through their body. There's a freedom in it that a lot of our kind don't get very often." Ino twirls her scissors and trims the ends of Sasuke's hair so that they lay even, flat, and layered just above his shoulders. "Alright, I'm done with your hair. Now for your eyes." She puts down her scissors on a small table next to the chair and gently slides her hands over Sasuke's eyes. "Now close your eyes and relax, Sasuke. It might feel a bit funny, but I promise to be gentle."

"I guess I can understand that. Honestly, part of me is just relieved not to have to hide anymore." He glances at the hair laying against his shoulders. It was so different from what he was used to seeing. Longer, straight brown hair had replaced his customary spiky raven hair. "And don't worry. I played with fire for a living. You don't have to worry about scaring me." He closes his eyes, letting Ino work her magic. In some ways, they were similar. They'd found a small slice of freedom in a world that rarely granted it. The only difference was Ino had found it through artistic expression and Sasuke had discovered it within his flames and lightning.

Ino's fingers give off a gentle glow, they flicker blue and green for an instant, then the glow dies and she removes her hands. "I darkened the pigment of your skin just around your eyes to give you a bit of an edgy, gothic touch to your new look. That way you won't have to apply eyeliner to make your eyes pop." She grins brightly, more than pleased with her work. She presses a button on the back of the chair and a mirror unfolds from the end of the right arm. "Go on, Sasuke, take a look."

Sasuke had never really put much thought into his looks. He was comfortable in his own skin and had never bothered with a makeover unless you counted holidays. Sasuke didn't. Dressing up for a costume party was different than changing your everyday appearance. So, he was pleasantly surprised when he looked into the mirror.

It was very different from his usual look. His chestnut brown hair now reached his shoulders. His onyx irises had been replaced by hazel ones that nearly glowed with color thanks to Ino's natural eyeliner trick. He barely recognized himself. "I feel like another person. I barely recognize myself. You did good." Instinctively, he toys with a strand of straight hair. It was such a surreal sensation.

"You mean I did amazing!" Ino's spring water blue eyes sparkle in delight. "You look almost as hot as you did before." She runs her hands through his hair to part it on the left side of his head. "I doubt even your mom would recognize you like this."

"Yeah. Amazing." Sasuke gazes at his altered appearance again. It was both comical and reassuring to her Ino say his real self was 'hotter,' but he could get used to this look. She was right about his mother, though. Mikoto Uchiha wouldn't recognize him. Hell, Sasuke almost didn't believe the person staring back at him was actually him, but it was. "She'd be shocked."

A laugh comes from the edge of the room and the door to the studio closes with a click. "I think she'd also be proud that her son is so determined to use his powers to protect people." In the mirror, Shisui appears, his gaze glimmering with amusement. "A little more work and you'll look like the hottest petty criminal on the street."

"You're right. Mother would be proud. She's always been a bit more...understanding than Father. He's more traditional." Sasuke watches Shisui closely as he tries not to wince at what Fugaku Uchiha would say about all of this. His father was more in line with Itachi's philosophy of blending in, but in the end he'd decided to let Sasuke sink or swim on his own merits. Probably because he figured Itachi would keep him from doing anything too crazy. "And what's that little more work comment supposed to mean?" If Ino wasn't next to him right now, Sasuke would huff.

"It means that right now, you look more like a runway model than a criminal." Shisui chuckles huskily and strides up behind Sasuke to get a better look at him. He places a hand on the back of the chair and nods approvingly. "And that means that Ino's next job is going to be making you look dangerous. That shouldn't be hard, I remember how you scowled as a kid. You looked like you were going to kill someone."

Sasuke scowls. The last thing he wanted was for Shisui to think of him as a little kid. "It shouldn't be hard because I am dangerous. I can fry people alive or turn them into extra crispy bacon." It was one of the things he loved the best about his natural affinities. The primal power behind them. "But you're right. I need to look more like one of them. Ino and I already talked about tattoos and piercings." A bit.

"You have, have you?" Shisui's eyes gleam with mischief and he runs his fingers carefully along the curve of Sasuke's right ear. "I'm kind of surprised that she's being so gentle with you. I remember the last time I was thinking about a new tattoo, she just sat me down in her chair and told me to pick something from her sketchbooks. That's how my flock of ravens happened." He glances down at the hair on the floor and raises an eyebrow. "Extra gentle, it looks like. She worked on you the slow way."

He shivers at the contact. With or without magic, Shisui's touch was electrifying. It was distracting. So much so, that Sasuke almost didn't register the rest of what Shisui was babbling about. "Probably because I'm new. What do you mean the slow way...?"

Ino giggles and pokes her head around Shisui's shoulder. "He means that I didn't introduce you to my clippers. It's just faster to get hair changed to a different color using those, and it takes less energy because there's less wasted on growing the hair out so I can remove the old color. But you're new, so I took my time and let you get used to the process because I thought rushing might freak you out a little."

"Right. Clippers. Well, it was a successful transformation." Sasuke gestures to himself. There was no denying a few finishing touches would be needed before his first assignment, but it was a good base. "So, you can try those next time. How long does it take for the disguises to wear off?"

"That's the beauty of Ino's abilities. The disguises take about a year to wear off naturally by Ino's estimation." Shisui curls the ends of Sasuke's new brown hair around his fingers. "So we never have to worry about the disguises wearing off unexpectedly while we're out on an assignment. The disguise is effectively permanent until the power she puts into it runs out."

"Wait. I can't change back for a year?" Sasuke blinks not sure how he felt about that. It was one thing to wear a 'costume' for awhile, it was another to become someone else for an entire year. "Doesn't that defeat the purpose of undercover missions? Unless you can assume the same identity over and over?"

Ino rolls her eyes. "You asked how long it takes to wear off. It only lasts that long if I don't reverse it. I always reverse it when Shisui, Neji, or I come back from a mission."

"Don't worry, Sasuke, you won't be stuck like this." Shisui squeezes Sasuke's shoulder. "The only reason that you would be stuck in a disguise for a year is if something happened to Ino. And if something did happen with Ino, you can be sure that I would be in there to rescue her as fast as I can." It's something Shisui would do for any member of his team.

"Good to know." Sasuke decides to let the eye roll slide. Mostly because as far as he knew, Ino was the only one who could change them back. Hearing Shisui's explanation also helped. "I know you would. You wouldn't leave a teammate behind."

"Never." Shisui claps Sasuke on the shoulder. "Now, finish planning your first criminal persona's look with Ino. When you're done, come find me and I'll walk you through how to build a criminal profile that people will believe."

"Alright. We'll finish up here and I'll come find you." Sasuke nods before looking at Ino. "Go with the most common gang tattoos and the piercings we talked about. Nothing huge in size as far as tattoos go. Other than that do whatever it takes to make it look convincing."

"You won't need gang tattoos, Sasuke, don't worry." Shisui grins and ruffles his cousin's hair. "I'm planning on sending you somewhere you won't need those."

"Then where are you sending me? You said I was supposed to look like a criminal." He frowns at the hair ruffling feeling like a kid on their first day of school.

"Someone's out there selling drugs that normal cops can't seem to find. I checked out one of the victims." Shisui's grin hardens with determination. "Someone's using their abilities to make a drug that's lethal to regular people and untraceable. We've been tasked with putting a stop to it and finding the supply chain."

"We'll find the damn bastards then." Sasuke scowls. That was murder, pure and simple. They had to put a stop to it. "I'll see you in a bit. I'm sure Ino can come up with something dangerous."

Shisui grins slyly. "I look forward to it."


End file.
